The association between monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and chronic kidney disease in a Chinese adult population: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background

Monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR) was confirmed as a novel inflammatory marker and strongly associated with the risk of several diseases. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between MHR and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a Chinese adult population.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, 232,775 community-dwelling adults in Binhai who completed health checkups in 2021 were enrolled. Participants were categorized based on the MHR quartiles. Clinical characteristics of participants across different groups were compared using one-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis h-test, and Chi-squared test as appropriate. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were taken to assess the relationship between MHR and the presence of CKD, as well as its association with low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and proteinuria. Subgroup analyses were further executed to confirm the reliability of this relationship.

Results

A total of 21,014 (9.0%) individuals were diagnosed with CKD. Characteristic indicators including waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), serum uric acid (SUA), triglyceride, and fasting blood glucose (FBG) showed a gradual increase with higher MHR quartiles, whereas parameters such as age, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and eGFR decreased (p < .001). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, we observed independent associations between MHR (per 1 SD increase) and CKD, as well as low eGFR and proteinuria, with odds ratio (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) of 1.206 (1.186–1.225), 1.289 (1.260–1.319), and 1.150 (1.129–1.171), respectively (p < .001). Similar conclusions were confirmed in subgroup analysis stratified by gender, age, BMI, central obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, after justification for confounding factors.

Conclusion

Elevated MHR level was independently associated with the presence of CKD, suggesting that it might serve as a useful clinical tool for risk stratification, offering valuable insights to inform preventive and therapeutic approaches for clinicians in their routine medical practice.

Keywords:

• Chronic kidney disease
• inflammation
• monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio
• dyslipidemia

Acknowledgments

The researchers appreciate the dedication of each participant and their families to this research. Special thanks to Shen Tai Web Health Technology (Nanjing) Co., Ltd. for providing data technical support for this study.

Authors contributions

JY guaranteed the complete integrity of this research. JY, YZ, and PW designed this study. LX, DL, JL, and ZS were responsible for carrying out the clinical studies. LX, JL, DL, and ZS all contributed to gathering the data. Data analysis and manuscript writing were performed by LX and PW. The paper was revised by JY after being edited by YZ. All authors have reviewed and given their approval to the final manuscript. LX and DL contributed to this work equally.

Consent form

All coauthors and participants have approved this paper for publishing in Renal Failure.

Ethical approval

The Medical Ethics Committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University approved this study (ID: [2019]KY105).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The datasets used in this work are accessible upon reasonable request from the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China: General program 82270760.