Visceral adiposity index as a useful tool for the assessment of cardiometabolic disease risk in women aged 65 to 74.

BACKGROUND

The visceral adiposity index (VAI) is considered to be a reliable indicator of adipose tissue dysfunction and cardiometabolic disease risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate its usefulness in assessing cardiometabolic risk in a sample of elderly women living in a rural-urban community in central Poland.

METHODS

A total of 365 women aged 65 to 74 years were included in this cross-sectional study. All patients were interviewed to obtain their history of diabetes mellitus, myocardial infarction, stroke, and revascularization. For all participants, anthropometric measurements were performed, then body mass index (BMI) and waist/hip ratio were calculated. Blood pressure was measured on the arm and on both ankles, and the ankle/brachial index was calculated. Blood samples were collected for the assessment of glycemia, lipid profile, and creatinine level. In patients with elevated fasting glucose, the test was repeated, or an oral glucose tolerance test was performed where appropriate. Finally, carotid intima-media thickness was measured in all women.

RESULTS

The VAI of participants was significantly correlated with a history of myocardial infarction, higher carotid intima-media thickness, diabetes, prediabetes, and impaired kidney function. Furthermore, VAI demonstrated a better correlation with these endpoints than BMI or waist circumference.

CONCLUSIONS

The VAI can be considered a useful tool for the assessment of cardiometabolic disease risk in elderly women, with a score of ≥2.71 representing the cut-off point for identifying females at high risk. In such patients, screening for cardiovascular disease, abnormal glucose metabolism, and impaired kidney function should be routine practice.