Triglyceride Glucose Index Is Associated With Arterial Stiffness and 10-Year Cardiovascular Disease Risk in a Chinese Population

Abstract

Background: Insulin resistance (IR) is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). In this study, the association of the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index, a simple surrogate marker of IR, with arterial stiffness and 10-year CVD risk was evaluated. Methods: A total of 13,706 participants were enrolled. Anthropometric and cardiovascular risk factors were determined in all participants, while serum insulin levels were only measured in 955 participants. Arterial stiffness was measured through brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and 10-year CVD risk was evaluated using the Framingham risk score. Results: All participants were classified into four groups according to the quartile of the TyG index. BaPWV and the percentage of participants in the 10-year CVD risk categories significantly increased with increasing quartiles of the TyG index. Logistic regression analysis showed that the TyG index was independently associated with a high baPWV and 10-year CVD risk after adjusting for traditional CVD risk factors. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) of the TyG index for predicting a high baPWV was 0.708 (95%CI 0.693-0.722, P < 0.001) in women, higher than that in men. However, the association of the homeostatic model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR) with a high baPWV and the 10-year CVD risk was absent when adjusting for multiple risk factors in 955 participants. Conclusions: The TyG index is independently associated with arterial stiffness and 10-year CVD risk.

Keywords: Framingham risk score; arterial stiffness; brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity; insulin resistance; triglyceride glucose index.