The relationship between fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in elderly individuals in China: a cross-sectional study

Background Arteriosclerosis, a hallmark of vascular aging, can be assessed using brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). The fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR), a novel marker reflecting inflammation and hemodynamics, has been proposed as a potential indicator for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the association between FAR and baPWV has not been fully elucidated. This study seeks to investigate this association. Methods A total of 389 elderly patients were enrolled. Arteriosclerosis was defined as a baPWV ≥1,800 cm/s. Participants were divided into four groups according to FAR quartiles. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association between FAR quartiles and arteriosclerosis. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis was additionally employed to examine the dose–response relationship between continuous FAR and arteriosclerosis risk. Results The prevalence of arteriosclerosis increased significantly with increasing FAR quartiles (61.2%, 61.9%, 77.3%, 86.6%; p 0.001). Multivariate linear regression demonstrated an independent positive correlation between FAR and baPWV ( β = 13.283, 95% CI: 0.286–26.281, p = 0.046). In multivariate logistic regression, higher FAR quartiles were linked to higher odds ratios (ORs) for arteriosclerosis (Q2: OR = 0.997, 95% CI: 0.521–1.907, p = 0.992; Q3: OR = 2.094, 95% CI: 1.048–4.186, p = 0.036; Q4: OR = 2.804, 95% CI: 1.258–6.248, p = 0.012) with a significant trend ( p for trend = 0.002). RCS analysis further confirmed a linear association between FAR and arteriosclerosis risk ( p for non-linearity 0.05). Conclusions In elderly adults, FAR is independently and positively associated with baPWV, suggesting its potential as an additional biomarker for evaluating vascular aging.