Association Between Triglyceride-Glucose Index and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in an Older Chinese Population Aged Over 75 Years

Xiaomin Fu; Hongzhou Liu; Jing Liu; Nan Li; Lele Li; Dianshan Ke; Minyan Liu; Yanhui Lu; Lihua Duan; Linlin Ma; Yanfei Huo; Qinghua Lei; Shuangtong Yan

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.796663

Association Between Triglyceride-Glucose Index and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in an Older Chinese Population Aged Over 75 Years

Front Public Health. 2022 Mar 25:9:796663. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.796663. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Xiaomin Fu¹, Hongzhou Liu^{1

2}, Jing Liu³, Nan Li⁴, Lele Li⁵, Dianshan Ke⁶, Minyan Liu⁴, Yanhui Lu⁴, Lihua Duan⁷, Linlin Ma⁸, Yanfei Huo⁹, Qinghua Lei⁹, Shuangtong Yan⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Endocrinology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
² Department of Endocrinology, First Hospital of Handan City, Handan, China.
³ Clinics of Cadre, Department of Outpatient, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
⁴ Department of Endocrinology, The Second Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
⁵ Department of Endocrinology, Genetics, Metabolism and Adolescent Medicine, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing Children's Hospital, The Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
⁶ Department of Orthopedics, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
⁷ Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, China.
⁸ General Surgery Department 5, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, China.
⁹ Physical Examination Center, Handan Central Hospital, Handan, China.

Abstract

Background: The association between the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in older adults has not been fully understood. This research aims to explore the association between the TyG index and the incidence of T2DM in an older Chinese population aged over 75 years.

Methods: This longitudinal analysis study was performed based on a database from a health check screening program in China. The participants were stratified based on the quintile ranges of the TyG index (Q1 to Q5 groups). T2DM was defined as fasting plasma glucose (FPG) ≥ 7.00 mmol/L and/or self-reported T2DM. The cumulative incidences of T2DM in various quintile groups were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to examine the independent impact of the TyG index on the risk of T2DM during the follow-up period. Subgroup analysis was performed by gender and BMI to further validate the credibility of the results.

Results: During the follow-up period, a total of 231 new-onset T2DM cases were recorded among the 2,571 individuals aged over 75 years. After adjusting confounding factors, elevated TyG index independently indicated a higher risk of T2DM (HR = 1.89; 95% CI, 1.47-2.44; p < 0.01). Higher TyG index quintile groups (Q3 to Q5) also presented with a higher risk of T2DM (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.36, 1.44, and 2.12, respectively) as compared with the lowest quintile group (Q1). Subgroup analysis showed that increased TyG index led to a higher risk of T2DM with HR = 2.35 (95% CI, 1.73-3.19), 1.90 (95% CI, 1.27-2.83), 2.95 (95% CI, 1.94-4.50), and 1.72 (95% CI, 1.25-2.35) in male subgroup, female subgroup, BMI < 24 kg/m² subgroup, and BMI ≥ 24 kg/m² subgroup, respectively.

Conclusions: Triglyceride-glucose index independently correlated with the risk of incident T2DM in Chinese adults aged over 75 years. The TyG index might be useful in monitoring T2DM in the older populations.

Keywords: body mass index; older adults; risk; triglyceride–glucose index; type 2 diabetes mellitus.

MeSH terms

Aged
Blood Glucose
China / epidemiology
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / epidemiology
Female
Glucose
Humans
Male
Risk Factors
Triglycerides

Substances

Blood Glucose
Triglycerides
Glucose