Association between the High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein/Albumin Ratio and New-Onset Chronic Kidney Disease in Chinese Individuals

Abstract

Introduction: Inflammation is associated with development of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the association of the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)/albumin ratio (CAR) on the risk of CKD in the general population is unknown. This study explored the relationship between the CAR and CKD and the ability of this ratio to predict CKD in the general population. Methods: A total of 47,472 participants in the Kailuan study who met the inclusion criteria in 2010 were selected and grouped using the quartile method. A Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to evaluate the association of the CAR on the risk of CKD. The C-index, net reclassification index (NRI), and overall identification index (IDI) were calculated to evaluate the ability of the CAR to predict CKD. Results: During a follow-up of 378,383 person-years, CKD events occurred in 6,249 study participants (13.16%). The Cox proportional hazard regression model showed that the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for CKD events was 1.18 (1.10–1.28) in the Q3 group and 1.42 (1.32–1.53) in the Q4 group when compared with the Q1 group. Compared with the single index, the C-index, NRI, and IDI values were significantly improved when the CAR was added for prediction of risk of CKD. Conclusions: A higher CAR was an independent risk factor for CKD. The ability of the CAR to predict CKD was better than that of hs-CRP or albumin. The CAR provides an important reference index for predicting the risk of CKD.