Cardiovascular health metrics and diabetic nephropathy: a nationally representative cross-sectional study

Background The pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy is well-documented to be multifactorial. However, research available on the association between cardiovascular health and diabetic nephropathy is limited. Thus, this study aimed to investigate these potential associations and provide guidance for disease prevention. Methods We applied Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) identified by the American Heart Association, which integrates multiple health behaviors and health factors to measure cardiovascular health. This study covered 4207 adults with diabetes from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey spanning 2007–2018. Weighted regression models assessed the estimated effect of LE8 score on the prevalence of diabetic nephropathy as well as their corresponding clinical indicators. Weighted restricted cubic spline models discussed the possible nonlinear dose–response relationships further. Subgroup analyses clarified the effects of other covariates on correlations. Results After adjusting for all covariates, participants with moderate or high cardiovascular health showed a decreased prevalence of diabetic nephropathy (odds ratio [OR]:0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI]:0.42–0.63), and also a decrease in the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio [UACR] (β: – 0.83; 95% CI:– 1.00 to – 0.65). The prevalence of diabetic nephropathy and the level of UACR tended to decrease linearly as the total LE8 score increased ( P for nonlinear > 0.05). Subgroup analyses showed that the effects of increased overall LE8 score and the specific cardiovascular health construct varied across age and obesity strata. Conclusion Elevated overall LE8 score was significantly associated with a lower prevalence of diabetic nephropathy in U.S. adults, and the effects of the specific cardiovascular health construct on diabetic nephropathy and their corresponding clinical indicators varied. In all, maintaining good cardiovascular health by refining LE8 metrics may help reduce the adverse effects.