AST to ALT Ratio as a Potential Biomarker for Type 2 Diabetes: Findings from the NHANES Database.

IF 0.7 4区医学 Q4 MEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY

Clinical laboratory Pub Date : 2026-08-01 DOI:10.7754/Clin.Lab.2025.250806

Jing Xu, Yanhong Li

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: The aspartate transaminase to alanine aminotransferase ratio (AST/ALT) has been proposed as a potential biomarker for metabolic dysfunction, but its association with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between AST/ALT ratio and risk of T2DM using a nationally representative sample.

Methods: We analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1999 and 2004, collecting details on their T2DM status, AST/ALT ratio, and several other essential variables. There were 12,527 participants, with 13.9% (1,746/12,527) who experienced T2DM. Logistic regression, curve fitting, interaction effects were utilized to investigate the association between AST/ALT ratio and T2DM.

Results: There was a substantial difference in AST/ALT ratios between the groups, with T2DM patients exhibiting significantly lower values (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed a negative association between AST/ ALT ratio and T2DM, even after adjusting for the confounding variables (odds ratio: 0.28, 95% confidence interval: 0.25 - 0.32, p < 0.001). In addition, curve fitting after adjusting for all the confounding variables showed that there was a linear relationship between AST/ALT ratio and T2DM (p for non-linearity = 0.107). AST/ALT ratio was negatively correlated with T2DM.

Conclusions: The AST/ALT ratio was associated with a lower risk of T2DM in a linear pattern, suggesting its potential role as a clinical indicator of metabolic risk. Further prospective studies are needed to clarify causality.

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AST / ALT比值作为2型糖尿病的潜在生物标志物：来自NHANES数据库的发现

背景：天冬氨酸转氨酶与丙氨酸转氨酶比值（AST/ALT）已被提出作为代谢功能障碍的潜在生物标志物，但其与2型糖尿病（T2DM）的相关性仍存在争议。本研究旨在通过全国代表性样本调查AST/ALT比值与T2DM风险之间的关系。方法：我们分析了1999年至2004年国家健康与营养调查（NHANES）的数据，收集了他们的T2DM状态、AST/ALT比率和其他几个基本变量的详细信息。共有12527名参与者，其中13.9%（1746 / 12527）患有T2DM。采用Logistic回归、曲线拟合、交互效应等方法探讨AST/ALT与T2DM的关系。结果：两组间AST/ALT比值有显著性差异，T2DM组显著降低（p < 0.001）。Logistic回归分析显示，即使在调整混杂变量后，AST/ ALT与T2DM呈负相关（优势比：0.28,95%可信区间：0.25 - 0.32,p < 0.001）。此外，校正所有混杂变量后的曲线拟合显示AST/ALT与T2DM之间存在线性关系（非线性p = 0.107）。AST/ALT与T2DM呈负相关。结论：AST/ALT比值与较低的T2DM风险呈线性关系，提示其作为代谢风险的临床指标的潜在作用。需要进一步的前瞻性研究来澄清因果关系。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Clinical laboratory 医学-医学实验技术

CiteScore

1.50

自引率

0.00%

发文量

494

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： Clinical Laboratory is an international fully peer-reviewed journal covering all aspects of laboratory medicine and transfusion medicine. In addition to transfusion medicine topics Clinical Laboratory represents submissions concerning tissue transplantation and hematopoietic, cellular and gene therapies. The journal publishes original articles, review articles, posters, short reports, case studies and letters to the editor dealing with 1) the scientific background, implementation and diagnostic significance of laboratory methods employed in hospitals, blood banks and physicians'' offices and with 2) scientific, administrative and clinical aspects of transfusion medicine and 3) in addition to transfusion medicine topics Clinical Laboratory represents submissions concerning tissue transplantation and hematopoietic, cellular and gene therapies.