Cardiometabolic Index as a Mediator in the Association Between Estimated Glucose Disposal Rate and Depressive Symptoms: A Population‐Based Study

BACKGROUND: Estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR) emerged as an innovative marker for insulin resistance, and this study was designed to investigate the connection between eGDR and depressive symptoms. METHODS: Information from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) was processed within the cross-sectional research. Relationships between depressive symptoms and eGDR were examined using weighted logistic regression models, restricted cubic splines (RCS), sensitivity analyses, and subgroup comparisons. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis assessed the capacity for prediction of eGDR, relative to triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Mediation analysis was also applied to assess cardiometabolic index (CMI)'s potential role in the eGDR-depression relationship. RESULTS: This analysis comprised 12,191 individuals stratified by eGDR tertiles (T1: