The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index as an independent predictor of coronary artery disease: A cross sectional study

Abstract

Insulin resistance (IR) is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death worldwide. A straightforward and reasonably priced surrogate indicator for IR and cardiovascular risk is the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index. The purpose of this study was to assess the TyG index's correlation and diagnostic value in patients with confirmed coronary artery disease (CAD). 75 CAD patients and 75 healthy controls were compared in this hospital-based cross sectional study. The TyG index was evaluated as an independent predictor using logistic regression, which was adjusted for age, sex, and BMI. The ideal cutoff and diagnostic accuracy were determined by ROC curve analysis. The mean TyG index was significantly higher in the CAD group (4.94 ± 0.34) versus Controls (4.56 ± 0.21) (P< 0.001). Multivariate analysis confirmed the TyG index as an independent predictor of CAD (OR: 18.49, 95% CI: 3.57-95.82, P=0.001). ROC analysis yielded an AUC of 0.818. The optimal cutoff was 4.71, achieving 77%sensitivity and 80% specificity. The TyG index is a robust, independent predictor of CAD with high diagnostic utility, supporting its integration into routine clinical practice for early risk stratification.