Association between triglyceride-glucose index and worsening renal function in the elderly

Li Lei; Hongbin Liang; Yali Qu; Qianhong Zhong; Qiuxia Zhang; Lei Dai; Junyan Lu; Min Xiao; Zhimeng Zhao; Fengyun Zhou; Yun Li; Guifang Hu; Jiancheng Xiu; Xinlu Zhang

doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.951564

Association between triglyceride-glucose index and worsening renal function in the elderly

Front Nutr. 2022 Nov 24:9:951564. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.951564. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Li Lei¹, Hongbin Liang¹, Yali Qu², Qianhong Zhong³, Qiuxia Zhang¹, Lei Dai⁴, Junyan Lu⁴, Min Xiao⁴, Zhimeng Zhao³, Fengyun Zhou¹, Yun Li⁵, Guifang Hu², Jiancheng Xiu^{1

4}, Xinlu Zhang¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Cardiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
² Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
³ Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Fourth People's Hospital of Foshan (Tuberculosis Control Center of Foshan), Foshan, China.
⁴ Department of Cardiology, Nanfang Hospital Zengcheng Branch, Guangzhou, China.
⁵ Department of Public Health Management, Zengcheng Xintang Hospital, Guangzhou, China.

Abstract

Background: Triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is a simple marker of insulin resistance. However, insufficient data is available on whether the TyG index is associated with worsening renal function (WRF) in the elderly. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the association between the TyG index and WRF based on a community elderly cohort.

Methods: In this study, 7,822 elderly (aged ≥ 65 years) adults from southern China were enrolled and divided into four groups according to the TyG index quartiles. The primary endpoint was incident chronic kidney disease (CKD), defined as incident estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min/1.73 m². Additional endpoints included a decline in eGFR of 30% and 40% during the follow-up period.

Results: During the median 2.04 year follow-up period, 1,541 (19.7%) participants developed CKD. After adjusting for confounding factors, multivariable Cox regression models revealed significant associations between TyG index and incident CKD (HR per SD increase, 1.21; 95% CI: 1.14-1.29), a decline in eGFR of 30% (HR per SD increase, 1.38; 95% CI: 1.26-1.50), and decline in eGFR of 40% (HR per SD increase, 1.42; 95% CI: 1.24-1.63). Furthermore, compared with those in Q1, participants in Q4 demonstrated a higher risk of developing CKD (HR, 1.59; 95% CI: 1.35-1.88). These positive associations remained consistent across different subgroup populations.

Conclusion: Our study suggests a positive and independent association between the TyG index and WRF in the elderly.

Keywords: cohort study; elderly; insulin resistance; triglyceride-glucose index; worsening renal function.