High triglyceride-glucose index is associated with low postoperative satisfaction in patients with posterior instrumented lumbar fusion.

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the effect of the preoperative triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index on the postoperative quality of life, patient satisfaction, and surgical outcomes in patients who underwent posterior lumbar instrumentation and fusion surgery. This was a retrospective single-center cohort study (n = 136). Patients were divided into three groups according to the TyG index: < 25th percentile (L), 25-75 percentile (N), and > 75th percentile (H). Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between the TyG index and the quantitative variables. Scatterplot and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were used to assess the relationship of the preoperative TyG index with postoperative Oswestry disability index (ODI) and physical function (PF) scores. The TyG index showed a significant correlation with postoperative ODI score. TyG index showed a significant negative correlation with postoperative PF score. On ROC curve analysis, postoperative ODI score ≥ 38 (optimal cut-off) had 79% sensitivity and 92% specificity for predicting high TyG index (group H) (p = 0.016). Postoperative PF score ≤ 80 predicted group H patients with 97% sensitivity and 75% specificity (p = 0.001). The area under the ROC curve was 0.74 (p = 0.016) for the postoperative ODI and 0.79 (p = 0.001) for the postoperative PF. In patients who underwent posterior lumbar instrumentation and fusion surgery, a high preoperative TyG index may predict poor postoperative ODI and PF scores, indicating lower patient satisfaction.