Is lipid accumulation product a better cardiovascular risk predictor in elderly individuals than anthropometric measures?

Introduction

Population aging is associated with increased prevalence of cardiovascular diseases that have a significant impact on overall morbidity and mortality. Insulin resistance (IR) and visceral obesity are risk factors for vascular damage and cardiometabolic diseases.

Aims

Estimating the correlation between lipid accumulation product (LAP) and IR in elderly individuals and comparing them to traditional anthropometric indices.

Methods

Cross-sectional study comprising 411 individuals >60 years, who were treated in a primary care service. Body mass index (BMI), neck circumference (NC), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), arm circumference (AC), sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD) and waist-hip ratio (WHR) were recorded. IR was estimated based on HOMA-IR (homeostasis model assessment IR index). LAP^a index was calculated as [WC-65]×[triglyceride (TG)] in men, and as [WC-58]×[TG] in women, whereas LAP^b was calculated by using the minimum WC values recorded for the current sample, i.e., 61.5 cm for women and 71.5 cm for men.

Results

There was correlation among LAP^a (0.506), LAP^b (0.515) and HOMA-IR. LAP was better correlated to HOMA-IR and showed higher area under the curve than BMI, NC, WHR and SAD. Based on the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, LAP^b≥47.40 and LAP^a≥52.5 were the best cut-off values used to identify individuals with IR presenting 68.8% and 68.2% sensitivity, and 68.6% and 68.6% specificity, respectively.

Conclusion

LAP may be a useful and simple clinical marker to assess cardiometabolic risk factors in the elderly population treated at a primary care service.