Chinese Visceral Adipose Index is Associated with Arterial Stiffness in Type 2 Diabetes Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between Chinese Visceral Adipose Index(CVAI) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients, in order to provide scientific evidence for the prevention and treatment of macrovascular complications in T2D. Patients and Methods: This research adopts the cross-sectional study design. Anthropometric assessment, baPWV assessment and biochemical assessment were performed in 2906 T2D patients. CVAI was calculated from the combination of triglycerides, age, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, waist circumference, body mass index. Multivariate regression analysis and generalized additive model were used to analyze the association between bapwv and CVAI. Subgroup analysis and interaction analysis were used to analyze the influencing factors. Results: After adjustment for covariates, baPWV tended to increase in the quartiles of CVAI. In males, As CVAI increases by a unit, baPWV was increased by 0.28 cm/s (95% CI: -0.05, 0.61 P=0.0934). In females, As CVAI increases by a unit, baPWV was increased by 1.60 cm/s (95% CI: 1.07, 2.14). A non-linear connection in males and a linear connection in females between the CVAI and baPWV was revealed. In males, we found that CVAI interacted with baPWV in different duration of diabetes (P interaction = 0.0052), alcohol consumption status (P interaction = 0.0375). In females, CVAI interacted with baPWV in glycated hemoglobin (P interaction = 0.0003), systolic blood pressure (P interaction = 0.0001), diastolic blood pressure (P interaction<0.0001), duration of diabetes (P interaction = 0.0014), the use or non-use of glucose-lowering drugs (P interaction = 0.0006), the use or non-use antihypertensive drugs (P interaction = 0.0004), females' menopausal status (P interaction = 0.0012). Conclusion: The relationship between CVAI and baPWV in T2D patients is positively non-linear in males and linear in females. In all subjects, this relationship was influenced by diabetes duration. In males, drinking status affected this relationship, and in females, It is influenced by blood pressure, glycemic control, menopausal status, and the use of glucose-lowering and hypotensive drug, highlighting the complex interplay between visceral fat and arterial stiffness in the T2D population.