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Fibrinogen/albumin ratio and carotid artery plaques in coronary heart disease patients with different glucose metabolic states: a RCSCD-TCM study

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Abstract

Aim

The relationship between fibrinogen/albumin ratio (FAR) and carotid artery plaques (CAPs) was investigated in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).

Methods

A total of 11,624 patients with CHD were enrolled and divided into quartiles based on the FAR (Q1: FAR index ≤ 0.0663; Q2: 0.0664 ≤ FAR index ≤ 0.0790; Q3: 0.0791 ≤ FAR index ≤ 0.0944; Q4: FAR index > 0.0944). Patients were classified into three groups according to their blood glucose levels: normal glucose regulation (NGR), prediabetes mellitus (pre-DM), and diabetes mellitus (DM) groups. Carotid ultrasonography was performed to detect CAPs. The relationship between FAR and CAPs was evaluated using logistic and subgroup analyses.

Results

Among 11,624 participants, 8738 (75.14%) had CAPs. Compared with Q1, the odds ratio (OR) of Q4 in patients with CHD was 2.00 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.71–2.34) after multivariate adjustment. Taking Q1 as a reference, a higher OR was observed in Q4 of FAR for CAPs in men [OR: 2.26; 95% CI: 1.73–2.95] in the multi-adjusted models. Moreover, multivariate adjustment indicated that the highest OR was observed in patients with CHD and DM (OR: 2.36; 95% CI: 1.80–3.10).

Conclusions

A significant association between FAR and CAPs was observed in patients with CHD, regardless of sex or blood glucose levels. Therefore, FAR may be used as an effective indicator to identify patients at a high risk of CAPs among patients with CHD.

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Abbreviations

FAR:

Fibrinogen/albumin ratio

CHD:

Coronary heart disease

CAPs:

Carotid artery plaques

NLR:

Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio

PLR:

Platelet/lymphocyte ratio

LMR:

Lymphocyte/monocyte ratio

BMI:

Body mass index

DM:

Diabetes mellitus

HbA1c:

Glycated hemoglobin

FIB:

Fibrinogen

ALB:

Albumin

FPG:

Fasting plasma glucose

LDL-C:

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol

TG:

Triglycerides

HDL-C:

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol

TC:

Total cholesterol

NGR:

Normal glucose regulation

Pre-DM:

prediabetes mellitus

SBP:

Systolic blood pressure

DBP:

Diastolic blood pressure

IMT:

Intima-media thickness

OR:

Odds ratio

CI:

Confidence interval

IQR:

Interquartile range

MACE:

Major adverse cardiovascular events

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Acknowledgements

We thank all those who participated in the study, the research teams, and the support groups.

Funding

This work was supported by A Cohort Study on Xuefu Zhuyu Cangina pectorissule in the Adjuvant Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease and Angina Pectoris (HX2020-16), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82074140), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82104565), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82204142).

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Xu Wang, Mengnan Huang, Zhu Li

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 10, Poyanghu Road, West Area, Tuanbo New Town, Jinghai District, Tianjin, China

    Xu Wang, Mengnan Huang, Yijia Liu, Mei Ma, Yuanyuan He, Rongrong Yang, Lin Li, Shan Gao & Chunquan Yu

  2. Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No. 548, Binwen Road, Binjiang District Hangzhou City, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

    Zhu Li

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Contributions

X.W., C.Y., and Z.L. participated in the research design and statistical analysis. M.H., M.M., and L.L. compiled the data. R.Y., S.G., Y.H., and Y.L. collected the data. All the authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Lin Li, Shan Gao or Chunquan Yu.

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Wang, X., Huang, M., Li, Z. et al. Fibrinogen/albumin ratio and carotid artery plaques in coronary heart disease patients with different glucose metabolic states: a RCSCD-TCM study. Endocrine 84, 100–108 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-023-03558-6

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