Key result
Higher AST/ALT ratio is linked to ~31% increased PAD risk in hypertensive adults.
Why the study?
Only a few studies investigated the correlations between the AST/ALT ratio and peripheral artery disease in hypertensive populations.
Is a higher AST/ALT ratio associated with an increased risk of peripheral artery disease in Chinese adults with hypertension?
Cross-Sectional (n=10,900)
Is a higher AST/ALT ratio associated with an increased risk of peripheral artery disease in Chinese adults with hypertension?
Odds Ratio: 1.31 (95% CI 1.13–1.59)
A higher AST/ALT ratio (≥1.65) is independently associated with an increased risk of peripheral artery disease in Chinese adults with hypertension, suggesting its potential as a simple biomarker for atherosclerosis risk.
Previous studies reported that the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio (AST/ALT) was a risk factor in cardiovascular disease. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular death. However, only a few studies investigated the correlations between the AST/ALT ratio and PAD. We analyzed data from 10 900 patients with hypertension from the Chinese Hypertension Registry Study; 350 patients had PAD (prevalence 3.2%). After adjusting for potential confounders, the AST/ALT ratio was independently and positively associated with risk of PAD (OR: 1.31, 95% CI, 1.13-1.59), and a significant increased risk of PAD for the third AST/ALT ratio tertile (T3) compared with the first tertile (T1; OR: 1.49, 95% CI, 1.09-2.04, P trend = .005) was found. Moreover, when we combined T1 and T2 into one group and used it as a reference group, the risk of PAD increased with the increase in AST/ALT; the risk ratio was 1.52 (95% CI, 1.20-1.95). A higher AST/ALT ratio (≥1.65) was associated with PAD risk in Chinese adults with hypertension. Our results suggest that the AST/ALT ratio may help identify patients at high risk of vascular end points and might be a convenient, economical, and effective tool for evaluating the risk of atherosclerosis.
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Liu et al. (2021) conducted a cross-sectional in Hypertension (n=10,900). AST/ALT ratio vs. Lower AST/ALT ratio was evaluated on Peripheral artery disease (PAD) (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.13-1.59). A higher AST/ALT ratio was independently associated with an increased risk of peripheral artery disease in Chinese adults with hypertension (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.13-1.59).
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