Abstract
BACKGROUND: Kidney stones can cause severe kidney function. The serum glucose-to-albumin ratio (sGAR) is under investigation for its potential to assess kidney stone risk. This study explores the association between sGAR and prevalent kidney stones in a nondiabetic U.S. adult population using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) dataset. METHODS: This study analyzed data from the NHANES 2007-2014. Kidney stones were determined via questionnaires, and the sGAR was calculated based on serum glucose and albumin. The multivariate logistic regression analysis evaluated the associations of sGAR with prevalent kidney stones. A restricted cubic spline (RCS) was performed to explore underlying nonlinear relationships. Subgroup analyses were used to examine associations across different factors. Sensitivity analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Out of 9,549 participants, 7.71% had kidney stones. The notable link was found between sGAR and kidney stone occurrence [odds ratio (OR): 1.06, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.10]. Higher tertiles of sGAR were linked to elevated odds of kidney stones, with a significant trend. A positive link was observed between the sGAR and the recurrence of kidney stones (Model 3: OR 1.08, 95% CI: 1.01-1.16). Participants in the higher sGAR tertiles were more likely to experience kidney stone recurrence. Significant trends were observed. RCS analysis ascertained the aforementioned relationships in a linear manner. No interaction effect was found between the sGAR score and kidney stone incidence across different subgroups. The relationships were consistent in the sensitivity analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The study identified a notable link between sGAR and kidney stone prevalence. Increased sGAR levels were linked to an elevated risk of kidney stone occurrence and recurrence among nondiabetic American adults.