Correlation between conventional and unconventional lipid parameters with the risk of progression of renal function decline: insights from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2011–2015

This study aimed to evaluate the association between conventional and unconventional lipid parameters and the risk of future chronic kidney disease (CKD) and progression of renal function decline. Data from 4,542 participants who were free of CKD at baseline were analyzed using information from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011-2015). The follow-up period was four years. The primary endpoints were incident CKD and rapid progression of renal function decline. The associations between lipid parameters and the risk of CKD and rapid progression of renal function decline were assessed using restricted cubic splines (RCS) and logistic regression analysis. Logistic regression analysis showed that high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was negatively associated with CKD risk, while remnant cholesterol (RC) and the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) were positively associated. Triglycerides (TG), RC, and AIP were positively correlated with rapid renal function decline, whereas low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and HDL-C were negatively correlated. Among these parameters, AIP was the most strongly associated with CKD [adjusted odds ratio (OR) (95% CI): 2.091 (1.199, 3.649), p = 0.009] and rapid progression of renal function decline [adjusted OR (95% CI): 3.996 (2.632, 6.068), p < 0.001]. LDL-C and HDL-C were negatively associated with rapid progression of renal function decline, while TG, RC, and AIP were positively associated with this outcome. Among the lipid parameters examined, AIP was the most strongly associated with CKD and rapid progression of renal function decline.