The Linear Association Between A Body Shape Index and Abdominal Aortic Calcification in Individuals With Hypertension

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Metabolic Syndrome Research
• Biometric Analysis

Background:

• Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.
• Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) is a marker of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk.
• A Body Shape Index (ABSI) is a newer anthropometric index that reflects body fat distribution and may be associated with metabolic and cardiovascular risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between A Body Shape Index (ABSI) and abdominal aortic calcification (AAC).
• To evaluate ABSI as a potential indicator for early vascular calcification in hypertensive individuals.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional analysis of 1486 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
• Logistic regression, subgroup analyses, ROC curve assessment, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) modeling were used to evaluate the relationship between ABSI and AAC.
• ABSI was analyzed as a continuous variable and by quartiles.

Main Results:

• Each standard deviation increase in ABSI was associated with a 16.2% increased risk of AAC (OR=1.162).
• Individuals in the third (Q3) and fourth (Q4) quartiles of ABSI had significantly higher AAC risks compared to the lowest quartile (Q1).
• ABSI demonstrated moderate discriminative ability for AAC detection in the overall cohort and in both males and females (AUC ≈ 0.625).
• RCS analysis confirmed a dose-dependent positive relationship between ABSI and AAC risk.

Conclusions:

• Higher ABSI levels are significantly and independently associated with increased AAC risk in patients with hypertension.
• ABSI may serve as a valuable clinical tool for the early detection of vascular calcification in hypertensive populations.
• Further research is warranted to explore the clinical utility of ABSI in cardiovascular risk stratification.