Chinese visceral adiposity index predicts all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease: a retrospective cohort study

TL;DR

The Chinese Visceral Adiposity Index predicts higher risk of death in patients with type 2 diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease.

Contribution

The study shows that CVAI improves mortality prediction in high-risk patients beyond standard clinical markers.

Findings

Higher CVAI tertile was linked to increased mortality risk (adjusted HR = 2.806).

CVAI added predictive value beyond LVEF and NT-proBNP.

The association was stronger in patients with LVEF < 40%.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of the Chinese Visceral Adiposity Index (CVAI) for all-cause mortality in the high-risk population with coexisting type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), heart failure (HF), and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Over a median 26-month follow-up among 442 patients, 194 deaths occurred. The highest CVAI tertile (T3) exhibited a significantly elevated mortality risk (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 2.806, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.848–4.261, P < 0.001), demonstrating a linear dose-response relationship. CVAI provided significant incremental predictive value beyond left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). Subgroup analysis revealed a significant association in patients with LVEF < 40% but not in those with LVEF ≥ 40% (P for interaction = 0.049).

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13104-025-07531-6.

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