Weight-adjusted waist index as a predictor of DPN in T2DM :- Medznat

While obesity is a recognized contributor to diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), the link between body mass index (BMI) and DPN remains debatable.

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Key take away

Weight-adjusted waist index shows a strong, linear, and independent association with DPN and provides superior predictive accuracy compared to BMI and waist circumference, highlighting its potential as a reliable screening tool in patients with T2DM.

Background

While obesity is a recognized contributor to diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), the link between body mass index (BMI) and DPN remains debatable. This cross-sectional study sought to investigate the link between the weight-adjusted waist index (WWI) and DPN among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, with the intent of evaluating WWI as a potential marker for early detection and risk assessment of DPN.

Method

A total of 1,790 T2DM Chinese patients were included. Restricted cubic spline models, logistic regression, and subgroup analyses were used to examine the link between WWI, BMI, waist circumference, and DPN. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was utilized to compare the detection accuracy of the obesity indicators.

Result

Among the study population, 895 individuals were diagnosed with DPN. An increase of one standard deviation in WWI was linked to a higher likelihood of DPN in all three models: Model 1 (odds ratio [OR]: 1.72, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.37–2.16), Model 2 (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.10–1.80), and Model 3 (OR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.06–1.77).

A positive linear correlation was found between WWI and DPN when WWI exceeded 10.757 cm/√kg (OR: 1.375, 95% CI: 1.115–1.7). BMI illustrated a nonlinear relationship with DPN (p for nonlinearity < 0.05), and age was a significant modifier in the BMI-DPN connection. ROC curve analysis revealed that WWI outperformed BMI and waist circumference in predicting DPN.

Conclusion

WWI is independently and linearly correlated with DPN, offering more consistent and predictive value than BMI and waist circumference. WWI may be a more effective tool for identifying those at elevated risk of developing DPN.