Triglyceride-Glucose Index: A Useful Marker of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease

Context: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) underpins the morbidity and mortality of hypertension and related metabolic diseases. They all derive from insulin resistance (IR) with which they are positively correlated. Being difficult to determine in terms of equipment and skills, there have been efforts to find other surrogates so that early intervention can be put in place for ASCVD. Aims: We decided to study how the biomarker, triglyceride-glucose index (TyG index) correlates with ASCVD determined by carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) at a sub-clinical phase and its predictive cutoff point. Settings and Design: The secondary analysis of the data from the cross-sectional study of ASCVD on an apparently healthy population in Jos University Teaching Hospital. Materials and Methods: Consenting 221 apparently healthy individuals, staff, students, and patient relatives participated in the study. They underwent carotid ultrasonography for CIMT measurement as well as anthropometry and blood metabolic workup which included lipid and glucose estimation. Results: TyG index positively correlated with CIMT at a significant P = 0.01, and receiver operator curve analysis showed that above 8.71, the risk of ASCVD became very high and significant. Conclusion: Where infrastructure for IR measurement is lacking or inadequate, the TyG index biomarker can satisfactorily predict ASCVD for necessary intervention if levels get as much as 8.71. This is a boost for preventive cardiology in the resource-constrained situations.