The association between triglyceride-glucose index, cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, and death in Korean adults: A retrospective study based on the NHIS-HEALS cohort

Abstract

The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is a reliable indicator of insulin resistance. We aimed to investigate the TyG index in relation to cardio-cerebrovascular diseases (CCVDs and mortality. Methods This retrospective study included 114,603 subjects. The TyG index was categorized into four quartiles by sex: Q1, <8.249 and <8.063; Q2, 8.249–<8.614 and 8.063–<8.403; Q3, 8.614–< 8.998 and 8.403–<8.752; and Q4,8.998 and 8.752, in men and women, respectively. To calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the primary outcomes (CCVDs and all-cause mortality) and secondary outcomes (cardiovascular diseases [CVDs], cerebrovascular diseases [CbVDs], CCVD-related deaths, or all-cause deaths), Cox proportional hazards regression models were adopted. Results Compared to Q1, the HRs (95% CIs) for the primary outcomes of Q2, Q3, and Q4 were 1.062 (0.981–1.150), 1.110 (1.024−1.204), and 1.151 (1.058−1.252) in men and 1.099 (0.986−1.226), 1.046 (0.938−1.166), and 1.063 (0.954−1.184) in women, respectively, after adjusted for age, smoking status, drinking status, physical activity, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, economic status, and anti-hypertensive medications. Fully adjusted HRs (95% CIs) for CVDs of Q2, Q3, and Q4 were 1.114 (0.969−1.282), 1.185 (1.031−1.363), and 1.232 (1.068−1.422) in men and 1.238 (1.017−1.508), 1.183 (0.971−1.440), and 1.238 (1.018−1.505) in women, respectively. The adjusted HRs (95% CIs) for ischemic CbVDs of Q2, Q3, and Q4 were 1.005 (0.850−1.187), 1.225 (1.041−1.441), and 1.232 (1.039−1.460) in men and 1.040 (0.821−1.316), 1.226 (0.981−1.532), and 1.312 (1.054−1.634) in women, respectively, while the TyG index was negatively associated with hemorrhagic CbVDs in women but not in men. The TyG index was not significantly associated with CCVD-related death or all-cause death in either sex. Conclusions Elevated TyG index was positively associated with the primary outcomes (CCVDs and all-cause mortality) in men and predicted higher risk of CVDs and ischemic CbVDs in both sexes.