Serum Uric Acid to High-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Ratio is Associated with Visceral Fat in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Objective: To determine whether the uric acid/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (UHR) is associated with visceral fat area (VFA) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Methods: Participants aged 18-70 years with a diagnosis of T2DM were recruited from the National Metabolic Management Center from January 2020 to July 2022. Medical data collected for all participants included medical history, general measures, carotid intimamedia thickness, abdominal VFA, and subcutaneous fat area (SFA). The participants were divided into groups according to VFA >= 100 cm2 (n=109) and VFA <100 cm2 (n=100).Results: Compared with the VFA <100 cm2 group, the VFA >= 100 cm2 group had higher height, weight, body mass index (BMI), assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase, gamma-glutamine acyltransferase (gamma GGT), uric acid (UA), triglyceride (TG), and UHR measurements and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (P<0.05). No significant difference was observed between the groups for age, duration of T2DM, diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure, IMT, glycosylated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Positive correlations were found between the UHR and height, weight, BMI, WC, HC, C peptide, ALT, gamma-GGT, TG, and UA, as well as between VFA and these variables (P<0.05). Both the UHR and VFA were negatively correlated with HDL-C (P<0.05). Positive correlations were observed between VFA and the UHR as well as UA (P<0.05), and a negative correlation was found between VFA and HDL-C (P<0.05). Multivariate linear stepwise regression identified BMI, WC, UHR, SFA, and HC as influencing factors for VFA (P<0.05). Conclusion: UHR was positively associated with VFA in T2DM patients and may be a useful and convenient additional tool for metabolic risks in these patients.