Triglyceride-glucose Index as a Valuable Marker to Predict Severity of Coronary Artery Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background and Aims The diagnostic standard of coronary artery disease (CAD) is coronary angiography (CAG). Since CAG is an invasive procedure underscores the need for identifying non-invasive, effective, and innovative biomarkers. Our study aimed to retrospectively analyze hematological markers for predicting the severity of CAD. Methods and Results Case data were collected from 195 CAD patients admitted to the hospital for CAG. According to Gensini score, patients were divided into mild, moderate, and severe CAD groups. Blood indexes and predictive efficacy of the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index were retrospectively analyzed. Among 195 CAD patients, 81 had mild CAD, 60 had moderate CAD, and 54 had severe CAD. Sex, fast blood glucose (FBG), TyG index, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) significantly differed among the three groups. The TyG index demonstrated higher values in patients with moderate (9.07[8.62-9.44]) and severe (8.98[8.46-9.45]) CAD compared to those with mild CAD (8.75[8.49-9.14]). The AUC of the TyG index was 0.615 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.536-0.694, P =.004), with a cut-off value of 8.997, specificity of 0.704, and sensitivity of 0.535. Logistics analysis showed the risk of moderate and severe CAD with an odds ratio (OR) value of 2.595 (95% CI: 1.199-5.619, adjusted P = .016) following regrouping by the TyG index optimal cut-off value of 8.997. The TyG index combined with FBG and hs-CRP had an elevated AUC value, significantly higher than other combinations ( P = .011 and 0.02, respectively). Conclusions The severity of CAD is positively correlated with an increased TyG index value. A combination of TyG, FBG, and hs-CRP has demonstrated improved diagnostic efficiency, suggesting its potential as a novel indicator for predicting and diagnosing CAD progression.