Assessing the association of FIB-4 index with diabetic kidney disease in patients with diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional and retrospective study utilizing NHANES and clinical data

Aim To evaluate the cross-sectional of the FIB-4 index with the prevalence of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and the deterioration of renal function in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods Data were derived from two cohorts: 1294 patients from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and 692 inpatients from the department of endocrinology of the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between the FIB-4 index and the presence of DKD among patients with DM. Results FIB-4 was identified as an independent risk factor associated with DKD in the clinical inpatient cohort. However, it should be noted that this association was not statistically significant in the weighted NHANES population. Poor control of blood glucose and lipid in DM patients was an important risk factor for disease progression. Effective control of blood glucose and lipid was essential to prevent metabolic diseases. Conclusion In patients with DM and DKD, attention should be paid to the control of blood glucose and lipid. Especially for DKD patients, and timely monitoring of FIB-4 index may be one of the important strategies to prevent the deterioration of renal function.