Accumulating evidence has revealed that the aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT) ratio is a promising novel biomarker for insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic diseases. However, research on the association between the AST/ALT ratio and the incidence of diabetes progressing from prediabetes remains lacking. Herein, this study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the baseline AST/ALT ratio and risks of diabetes in patients with prediabetes.
This was a retrospective cohort study involving a total of 82,683 participants across 32 regions and 11 cities in China from 2010 to 2016. Data was obtained based on the DATADRYAD database from the health check screening program. Participants were stratified according to the interquartile range of the AST/ALT ratio (groups Q1 to Q4). The Cox proportional hazard model and smooth curve fitting were used to explore the relationship between the baseline AST/ALT ratio and the risk of diabetes in prediabetic patients. In addition, subgroup analysis was used to further validate the stability of the results.
The mean age of the selected participants was 49.9 ± 14.0 years, with 66.8% of them being male. During the follow-up period 1,273 participants (11.3%) developed diabetes progressing from prediabetes during the follow-up period. Participants who developed diabetes were older and were more likely to be male. The fully-adjusted Cox proportional hazard model revealed that the AST/ALT ratio was negatively associated with the risk of diabetes in prediabetic patients (HR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.33 to 0.48,
According to our study, a higher AST/ALT ratio is associated with a lower risk of progressing into diabetes from prediabetes. Regular monitoring of AST/ALT ratio dynamics and corresponding interventions can help prevent or slow prediabetes progression for diabetes.