Insulin resistance assessed by estimated glucose disposal rate and the risk of abdominal aortic calcification: findings from a nationwide cohort study.

Purpose: The estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR) serves as a straightforward and noninvasive indicator of insulin resistance (IR). This study aims to explore the association between eGDR and the risk of abdominal aortic calcification (AAC).

Methods: We utilized data from adult participants (≥40 years old, n=3006) from the 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database. AAC was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and quantified using the Kauppila score. Severe AAC (SAAC) was defined as an AAC score > 6. Logistic regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS), and subgroup analysis were used to analyze the relationship between eGDR and SAAC risk.

Results: In fully adjusted models, eGDR was found to be negatively associated with SAAC (OR=0.86, 95%CI:0.79-0.94, P<0.001). Compared to participants in the lowest eGDR quantile, those in the highest quantile exhibited a lower risk of SAAC (OR=0.47, 95%CI:0.25-0.91, P=0.026). The RCS analysis indicates a nonlinear relationship between eGDR and SAAC risk, with a turning point at 7.05 mg/kg/min. Subgroup analysis showed that the association between eGDR and SAAC risk was more significant in women.

Conclusions: The degree of IR assessed by eGDR is associated with SAAC risk. The eGDR shows promise as an epidemiological tool for evaluating the influence of IR on AAC.