Is lipid accumulation product a better cardiovascular risk predictor in elderly individuals than anthropometric measures?

Introduction: Population aging is associated with increased prevalence of cardiovascular diseases that have a significant impact on overall morbidity and mortality. Insulin resistance (IR) and visceral obesity are risk factors for vascular damage and cardiometabolic diseases.

Aims: Estimating the correlation between lipid accumulation product (LAP) and IR in elderly individuals and comparing them to traditional anthropometric indices.

Methods: Cross-sectional study comprising 411 individuals >60 years, who were treated in a primary care service. Body mass index (BMI), neck circumference (NC), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), arm circumference (AC), sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD) and waist-hip ratio (WHR) were recorded. IR was estimated based on HOMA-IR (homeostasis model assessment IR index). LAP index was calculated as [WC-65]×[triglyceride (TG)] in men, and as [WC-58]×[TG] in women, whereas LAP was calculated by using the minimum WC values recorded for the current sample, i.e., 61.5 cm for women and 71.5 cm for men.

Results: There was correlation among LAP (0.506), LAP (0.515) and HOMA-IR. LAP was better correlated to HOMA-IR and showed higher area under the curve than BMI, NC, WHR and SAD. Based on the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, LAP≥47.40 and LAP≥52.5 were the best cut-off values used to identify individuals with IR presenting 68.8% and 68.2% sensitivity, and 68.6% and 68.6% specificity, respectively.

Conclusion: LAP may be a useful and simple clinical marker to assess cardiometabolic risk factors in the elderly population treated at a primary care service.