Association between visceral adiposity index and outcome of prediabetes: report of 1 064 cases

Objective To investigate the association of visceral adiposity index (VAI) and 5-year outcome of prediabetes development, and compare its predictive value with other anthropometric indices (BMI, waist circumference and waist hip ratio). Methods The participants in this cohort study were selected from the epidemiological study of dynamic monitoring of risk factors for type 2 diabetes and integrated community prevention and treatment in Luzhou area from April to November 2011. A total of 1 125 participants with prediabetes were selected from the baseline survey. The subjects were divided into 4 groups according to the quartiles of the VAI (0.37~1.29, 1.30~2.01, 2.02~3.28, and 3.29~36.12), and all of them were followed up for 5 years to observe the outcome of prediabetes. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to analyzed the effect of VAI on the outcome, and the areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for VAI, BMI, waist circumference and waist hip ratio were calculated according to different quartiles to determine the predictive power of the indices. Results Of the 1 064 participants who completed the follow-up, 237 developed to diabetes. In the comparison of the subjects developing into diabetes, statistical differences were seen among the 4 groups, with the 4th quartile group (94 cases) > the 3rd quartile group (68 cases) > the 2nd quartile group (46 cases) > the 1st quartile group (29 cases, Chi-square=51.566, P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjustment for any variables and for age, gender, height, systolic blood pressure, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, smoking and tea consumption, the individuals in higher VAI quartile group were more likely to develop to diabetes than those in lower group. The area under the ROC curve for VAI (0.662, P < 0.001) was significantly greater than those of other adiposity indices. Conclusion VAI is a risk factor that affects the outcome of prediabetes to diabetes, and may be regarded as a predictor of the outcome. With the increase of VAI, the risk of prediabetes conversion to diabetes increases. VAI is better than BMI, waist circumference and waist hip ratio in predicting the 5-year outcome to diabetes.