[Correlation of cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein and glucose index with carotid artery atherosclerosis]

Objective: To investigate the correlation between the cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein and glucose index (CHG) and carotid atherosclerosis (CAS). Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled participants who underwent comprehensive health evaluations in the Health Management Center of Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital between January 2020 and December 2024. Data were collected through a standardized questionnaire survey, physical examinations, and biochemical assessments. A multivariable logistic regression model was employed to assess the correlation between the CHG and CAS. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis was used to explore the dose-response relationship between the CHG and the risk of CAS. Subgroup analyses were performed to investigate the association between the CHG and CAS in different populations. Results: A total of 99 855 participants with an age of (52.50±12.82) years were included in this study, including 57 297 CAS cases and 42 558 controls. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that, when the CHG was treated as a continuous variable, it was associated with CAS (OR=1.44, 95%CI: 1.36-1.52), carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) thickening (OR=1.24, 95%CI: 1.16-1.33), and carotid plaque (CP) (OR=1.80, 95%CI: 1.67-1.94). Elevated quartiles of the CHG were positively correlated with the risk of CAS, and the risk increased progressively with increasing quartiles. RCS analysis revealed a nonlinear relationship between the CHG and the risk of developing CAS, CIMT thickening, and CP (P for nonlinearity <0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that compared with the Q₁ group, the Q₂-Q₄ groups exhibited a significantly increased risk of CAS across different demographics including gender, BMI, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Conclusion: The level of CHG is significantly associated with an increased risk of CAS, and this association exhibits a nonlinear increasing trend.