Use of the triglyceride-glucose index (TyG) in cardiovascular disease patients

Abstract

Da Silva et al. showed that the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index was positively associated with a higher prevalence of symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD). TyG has been used in healthy individuals as a marker of insulin resistance. The use of this index as a marker of atherosclerosis in cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients might be influenced by diabetes and the hyperlipidemic state that led to CVD. Certain considerations might be necessary before we conclude that the TyG index can be used as a marker of atherosclerosis in CVD patients. These factors can highlight the role of fasting blood glucose and triglyceride levels that are used in the TyG formula. Comparing the fasting blood glucose and/or triglyceride levels with the TyG index in these patients to show how much value the TyG index can add to clinical practice seems to be necessary. Conclusions of such studies might be biased by these facts. Stratification by CAD disease category cannot help achieve an understanding of the role of TyG in CVD. Correlations do not imply causation, so the use of the TyG index as an index in CAD patients is questionable.