Association of triglyceride-glucose index with severity of coronary artery disease among male patients

Abstract

The correlation between diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) is well established. Insulin resistance (IR) is considered a primary contributor to elevated CAD risk in diabetic individuals. The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index serves as a straightforward surrogate marker for insulin resistance. However, few studies have explored their correlations with myocardial infarction and CAD severity. Therefore, our study aimed to investigate the association between the TyG index and the occurrence of myocardial infarction, as well as the severity of coronary artery disease. We conducted a retrospective study involving 3865 consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, School of Medicine. Of these, 1724 patients were diagnosed with coronary artery disease. Demographic, biochemical, clinical, and angiographic data were gathered. A robust correlation exists between the TyG index and CAD subtypes, suggesting its potential as an independent clinical diagnostic marker. Moreover, the TyG index exhibited a significant positive correlation with disease severity, as assessed by the Gensini score. Elevated TyG index was associated with an increased predisposition to severe CAD, as indicated by the Gensini score, and myocardial infarction, even after adjusting for well-established cardiovascular risk factors.