Association between triglyceride-glucose index and estimated 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease in Nigerian non-diabetic hypertensives: A cross-sectional study

The Triglyceride Glucose (TyG) index is a new and sensitive marker of Insulin Resistance (IR). Its relationship with a 10-year cardiovascular risk (CVD) in hypertensives in Nigeria is currently unknown. This was a cross-sectional study involving 1,430 adult Nigerians with hypertension. The TyG index of subjects was divided into quartiles (Q1-Q4), and its association with 10-year CVD risk using Framingham 10-year Cardiovascular Risk Score was explored. The mean age of the study population was 55.8 ± 13.9 years with a male preponderance of 54.1%. The mean TyG index was 8.72 ± 0.6 with a significantly higher value in males (8.77 ± 0.6 vs 8.67 ± 0.5; p = 0.001). This trend was consistent across all age groups. The prevalence of elevated TyG index was 51.9% and 44.7% in males and females respectively. Using ROC the cut-offs that predicted moderate to high CVD risk were 8.85 (0.69(0.57-0.80; 95% CI; p = 0.001) and 8.74 (0.688 (0.59-0.78; 95% CI; p = 0.001) for males and females respectively. After adjustment for well-known risk factors, an elevated TyG index was associated with an increased 10-year CVD risk in females only. The TyG index is associated with an increased 10-year cardiovascular risk especially in females and a value of at least 8.7 is reasonably accurate to predict a 10-year CVD risk in Nigerians with hypertension.