Predictive Performance of Lipid Accumulation Product and Visceral Adiposity Index for Renal Function Decline in Non-diabetic Adults, an 8.6-year Follow-up

Background: Lipid accumulation product (LAP) and visceral adiposity index (VAI) are surrogates for visceral adiposity dysfunction. Our aim was to evaluate potential association of these two indices with the incidence of renal function decline.

Methods: We included 6693 non-diabetic adults age ≥ 18 years, with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73 m, from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study 2002-2005 survey. Natural logarithmic transformation (Ln) was applied for LAP and VAI measures. The incidence of renal function decline, defined as eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m, was evaluated for each gender, across tertiles of Ln LAP, Ln VAI, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist to height ratio (WHtR) and waist to hip ratio (WHR), using Cox-proportional hazard models.

Results: Over a median 8.6 years of follow-up, 1670 new cases of renal function decline were identified (incidence rate 3.2%). After multivariable adjustment, the hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CI across second and third tertiles of Ln LAP were 1.14 (0.86-1.50) and 1.33 (1.00-1.78) in men (P trend = 0.132); and 1.16 (0.90-1.50) and 1.24 (0.96-1.61) in women (P trend = 0.263), respectively. Multivariable adjusted HRs across second and third tertiles of Ln VAI were 1.40 (1.08-1.83) and 1.35 (1.02-1.78) in men (P trend = 0.031); and 0.93 (0.75-1.15) and 1.15 (0.93-1.41) in women (P trend = 0.072), respectively. HRs across tertiles of BMI, WC, WHtR and WHR were not significant for renal function decline among both genders in any adjustment models.

Conclusion: Among the adiposity indices assessed in this study, VAI seems to be an independent predictor of renal function decline only in males.