Are lipid ratios and triglyceride-glucose index associated with critical care outcomes in COVID-19 patients?

PLoS One. 2022 Aug 1;17(8):e0272000. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272000. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Lipid ratios and the triglyceride and glucose index (TyG) could be a simple biochemical marker of insulin resistance (IR). The current study was carried out to examine the correlation between triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (TG/HDL-C), total cholesterol to HDL-C (TC/HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol to HDL-C ratio (LDL-C/HDL-C), as well as TyG index with the severity and mortality of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A total of 1228 confirmed COVID-19 patients were included in the current research. Regression models were performed to evaluate the correlation between the lipid index and severity and mortality of COVID-19. The TyG index and TG/HDL-C levels were significantly higher in the severe patients (P<0.05). TG/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C, TC/HDL-C ratios, and TyG index were significantly lower in survivor cases (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that predictors of the severity adjusted for age, sex and BMI were TyG index, TG/HDL-C ratio (OR = 1.42 CI:1.10-1.82, OR = 1.06 CI: 1.02-1.11, respectively). This analysis showed that TG/HDL-C, TC/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C ratios, and TyG index statistically are correlated with COVID-19 mortality (OR = 1.12 CI:1.06-1.18, OR = 1.24 CI:1.05-1.48, OR = 1.47 CI:1.19-1.80, OR = 1.52 CI:1.01-2.31, respectively). In summary, the TyG index and lipid ratios such as TC/HDL-C, TG/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C could be used as an early indicator of COVID-19 mortality. Furthermore, the study revealed that TyG index and TG/HDL-C indices are biochemical markers of COVID-19 severe prognosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers
  • Blood Glucose / analysis
  • COVID-19* / therapy
  • Cholesterol, HDL
  • Cholesterol, LDL
  • Critical Care Outcomes
  • Glucose
  • Humans
  • Insulin Resistance*
  • Triglycerides

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Blood Glucose
  • Cholesterol, HDL
  • Cholesterol, LDL
  • Triglycerides
  • Glucose

Grants and funding

The authors are grateful to the Shahroud University of Medical Sciences for the financial support of this project (Grant Number 98126).