Triglyceride-glucose index is associated with the severity of coronary artery disease

Cardiovascular disease(CVD) remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Among CVDs, coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most prevalent and represents the primary contributor to chronic disease-related deaths globally. The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index has been shown to correlate significantly with both mortality and cardiovascular events, indicating its potential as an independent prognostic marker for cardiovascular outcomes. This study aimed to investigate variations in the TyG index among patients stratified by disease severity using Gensini scores and to evaluate the association between the TyG index and disease severity, as well as its diagnostic efficacy in combination with serum biomarkers. A total of 861 patients diagnosed with CHD who underwent coronary angiography were included. All participants were admitted to the Fifth Ward, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, at the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University between June 2022 and June 2024. Comprehensive data, including demographics, laboratory findings, and medical history, were collected from medical records. Based on the Gensini scores derived from coronary angiography, patients were categorized into three groups—low, moderate, and high stenosis—representing the severity of coronary artery occlusion. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between the TyG index and coronary artery disease severity. TyG levels differed significantly between the mild and severe stenosis groups (p = 0.0021), and between the moderate and severe groups (p = 0.0173). The TyG index, treated as a continuous variable, was significantly associated with coronary stenosis (odds ratio [OR] = 1.591; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.237–1.866). After adjusting for confounding factors including age, sex, diabetes, and hypertension, individuals in the second, third, and fourth TyG quartiles exhibited higher odds ratios for severe coronary stenosis compared to the reference group (OR = 0.932; 95% CI: 0.642–1.351; OR = 1.045; 95% CI: 0.691–1.581; OR = 1.101; 95% CI: 0.605–2.004). These findings indicate that the TyG index is positively associated with the extent of coronary artery stenosis and may serve as an indicator of atherosclerosis severity.