Correlation Between HbA1c and Body Mass Index Among Patients with High Lipid Profile Attending Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare Hospital in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidemia is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and stroke. Obesity and elevated HbA1c levels are both risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this study was to examine the relationship between HbA1C and body mass index among patients with high lipid profiles. METHODS: This retrospective, hospital-based study was conducted at Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare Facilities. Data were extracted from medical health records and included demographics, lipid profiles, and HbA1c measurements. The study included 2368 non-diabetic participants, and DATAtab was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The participants were 57.05% male and 78.42% Saudi. The mean age was 41.48±12.1 years, and the mean body mass index was 28.44±5.53. There was a statistically significant relationship between the use of lipid lowering medicine and HbA1c (P<0.001). There was a very weak positive but statistically significant relationship between HbA1c and body mass index (r = 0.18, P<0.001). HbA1c and systolic blood pressure appeared to have a statistically significant positive association (r = 0.16, P< 0.001). There was no correlation between HbA1c and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, or diastolic blood pressure. There was an inverse correlation between HbA1c and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = -0.11, P< 0.001). Regression was performed using a linear multivariable analysis with HbA1c as the dependent variable and age (B 0.192, P<0.001), body mass index (B 0.119, P<0.001), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (B -0.058, P<0.005), triglyceride (B 0.093, P<0.001), lipid-lowering medication (B 0.104, P<0.001), and systolic blood pressure (B 0.060, P< 0.003) as independent variables.  CONCLUSION: The results indicated that HbA1c is linked to body mass index, age, systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. There was no correlation between HbA1c and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, or diastolic blood pressure.