Abstract
PURPOSE: The study aimed to explore the relationship between the monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR) and visceral fat area (VFA) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 2156 patients with T2DM who received medical treatment at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital participated in this study. Patients were categorized into two groups based on VFA: the increased VFA group (VFA ≥ 100 cm(2), n = 1091) and the normal VFA group (VFA < 100 cm(2), n = 1065). Biochemical indicators were measured via blood tests, whereas VFA was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Spearman correlation and linear regression analysis were conducted to examine the association between MHR and VFA. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for predicting the VFA were constructed, and areas under the ROC curves were estimated. RESULTS: MHR level was significantly higher in the increased VFA group (p < 0.001) than in the normal VFA group. Spearman correlation analysis showed a positive association between VFA and MHR (r = 0.366, p < 0.001). Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that elevated MHR is an independent factor for increased VFA (β = 20.64, 95% CI 13.46-27.82, p < 0.001). After stratification by hemoglobin A1c levels and diabetes duration, MHR remained independently associated with VFA. ROC analysis indicated that MHR has a predictive effect on VFA, with an area under the curve of 0.708 (specificity = 58%, sensitivity = 73%). CONCLUSION: MHR levels are associated with visceral fat area in patients with T2DM, which has a modest predictive value, and it may be useful in detecting visceral obesity.