The association of subclinical atherosclerosis with prediabetes is stronger in people with dyslipidaemia than in those with normoglycaemia: A cross-sectional study in Chinese adults

•The association of atherosclerosis with prediabetes was attributed to dyslipidaemia.•Strategies for prevention should focus on subjects with prediabetes combined with dyslipidaemia.•The health risk was highest in the both subcategory of prediabetes, diagnosed with a combination of FPG and HbA1c. Prediabetes is associated with a high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and often occurs with dyslipidaemia. The present study investigated the association between subclinical atherosclerosis profiles and prediabetes with and without dyslipidaemia. This cross-sectional analysis included 4786 participants (1441 subjects with prediabetes and 3345 healthy controls). Prediabetes was defined by fasting plasma glucose (FPG) 5.6–6.9mmol/L or HbA1c 5.7–6.4% without antidiabetic drugs. Different markers of subclinical atherosclerosis were analysed: the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), carotid plaques (CP), and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Subclinical atherosclerosis was significantly more prevalent in prediabetic subjects than in normoglycaemic subjects (P