CRP-Albumin-Lymphocyte index (CALLYI) as a risk-predicting biomarker in association with osteoarthritis.

Purpose The exact relationship between the C-reactive protein-Albumin-Lymphocyte Index (CALLYI) and osteoarthritis remains unclear. This study explores the potential link between CALLYI and osteoarthritis in U.S. adults. Method The study cohort consisted of 18,624 U.S. adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2010. The CALLYI was calculated using the formula: albumin * lymphocytes / CRP * 10. For participants in this study, the CALLYI was quadrupled. We employed weighted multiple regression analysis and subgroup statistical analysis to investigate the association between CALLYI and osteoarthritis. Restricted cubic splines were utilized to assess the non-linear relationship between these two variables. Results The total sample size analyzed in this study was 18,624, of which 1,977 (10.62%) were diagnosed with osteoarthritis. CALLY is defined as Albumin (g/L) ⅹ Lymphocyte (10 ⁹ /L) ¸ (CRP (mg/L) ⅹ 10), and the mean value of CALLYI was 5.13 (2.12,12.86). The multivariate logistic regression model revealed a negative correlation between elevated CALLYI and osteoarthritis. The fully adjusted Model 3 demonstrated a significant 28% reduction in OA risk in the Q4 compared to the Q1 of CALLYI (OR = 0.72 95% CI: 0.59–0.88, p = 0.001). Subgroup analyses did not reveal any significant interactions (p > 0.05). Additionally, a significant non-linear relationship between CALLYI and OA using restricted cubic splines (p < 0.0001). Conclusion The results indicate a negative correlation between CALLYI and osteoarthritis, suggesting that CALLYI may serve as a biomarker for predicting the risk of osteoarthritis in U.S. adults.