Association between non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio and sarcopenia in US adults: a population-based study

INTRODUCTION: The non-HDL-C/HDL-C ratio (NHHR) serves as a lipid biomarker indicating the balance of pro-atherogenic and anti-atherogenic lipoproteins in the bloodstream. However, research exploring the effects of NHHR on sarcopenia remains limited. Consequently, this investigation aims to examine the potential correlation between NHHR and sarcopenia. METHODS: This nationwide study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collected between 2011 and 2018. We looked into the correlation of serum NHHR levels with the risk of sarcopenia through multivariable logistic regression. Furthermore, subgroup and sensitivity analyses were carried out to assess the robustness of the findings, and restricted cubic splines were utilized to investigate potential nonlinearities. RESULTS: The study encompassed 5,491 participants, of whom 367 (6.68%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia. Elevated NHHR was found to have a significant positive correlation with the incidence of sarcopenia in the fully adjusted model (OR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.06-1.21, P < 0.001). The occurrence of sarcopenia was 2.11 times higher in participants in the highest NHHR quartile than in the lowest quartile (95% CI: 1.13-3.92, P = 0.023). RCS analysis further demonstrated a nonlinear association of NHHR with sarcopenia (P for nonlinear < 0.001). Extensive subgroup and sensitivity analysis produced consistent outcomes, supported the validity of our findings. CONCLUSION: Studies indicate that NHHR is linked to an elevated risk of sarcopenia among Americans. In an aging society, NHHR might be a useful biomarker for managing and forecasting sarcopenia.