Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 May 31:12:1351884.
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1351884. eCollection 2024.

Elevated TyG index associated with increased prevalence of gallstones in a United States cross-sectional study

Xueyi Feng #  1 , Shenwei Wu #  1 , Bin Ke #  2 , Yongkang Liang  1
Affiliations

Elevated TyG index associated with increased prevalence of gallstones in a United States cross-sectional study

Xueyi Feng et al. Front Public Health. .

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and the incidence of cholelithiasis.

Research approach: In this investigation, a cross-sectional analysis was undertaken utilizing data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning the years 2017 to 2020. The TyG index served as an independent predictor, while gallstone prevalence was considered the dependent variable of interest. We employed a multivariate logistic regression model to evaluate the interplay between these independent and dependent variables. To assess the presence of potential non-linear associations, sensitivity analysis was executed, utilizing inverse probability weighted validation, smooth curve fitting, and threshold effect analysis. In cases where non-linear relationships were observed, likelihood ratios were utilized to pinpoint potential inflection points. Ultimately, subgroup analyses were conducted to identify specific populations demonstrating heightened susceptibility to gallstone prevalence.

Results: Encompassing 838 patients who self-reported gallstones, a total of 7,794 participants were included in the analytical cohort. A statistically significant disparity in the TyG index was observed when all individuals were categorized into gallstone patients and non-patients (p < 0.05). Logistic regression findings indicated a positive correlation between the TyG index and gallstone disease prevalence (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.12, 1.47), with a strengthening association as the TyG index increased (p trend <0.01). The results were corroborated by the use of inverse probability weighting. Additionally, a non-linear connection between the TyG index and gallstone prevalence was identified (log-likelihood ratio p < 0.01), with the optimal inflection point for TyG calculated at 8.96. In subgroup analysis, the positive relationship between the TyG index and gallstone prevalence was notably pronounced among black Americans under the age of 40 and female participants.

Conclusion: Alterations in the TyG index may potentially correlate with shifts in the prevalence of gallstones among adult populations in the United States. Elevated TyG index values may coincide with an augmented likelihood of gallstone occurrence.

Keywords: NHANES; cross-sectional study; gallstones; insulin resistance; triglyceride glucose index.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The participants selecting flow chart.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Density dose–response relationship between TyG index with gallstone prevalence. The area between the upper and lower dashed lines is represented as 95% CI. Each point shows the magnitude of the TyG index and is connected to form a continuous line. Adjusted for all covariates except effect modifier.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Forest plot of subgroup analysis between TyG index and gallstone prevalence in model 3.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Weerakoon H, Vithanage I, Alahakoon O, Weerakoon K. Clinico-epidemiology and aetiopathogenesis of gallstone disease in the south Asian region: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open. (2022) 12:e057808. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-057808, PMID: - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Chen LY, Qiao QH, Zhang SC, Chen YH, Chao GQ, Fang LZ. Metabolic syndrome and gallstone disease. World J Gastroenterol. (2012) 18:4215–20. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i31.4215 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Patel AM, Yeola M, Mahakalkar C. Demographic and risk factor profile in patients of gallstone disease in Central India. Cureus. (2022) 14:e24993. doi: 10.7759/cureus.24993, PMID: - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Song Y, Ma Y, Xie FC, Jin C, Yang XB, Yang X, et al. . Age, gender, geographic and clinical differences for gallstones in China: a nationwide study. Ann Transl Med. (2022) 10:735. doi: 10.21037/atm-21-6186, PMID: - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Völzke H, Baumeister SE, Alte D, Hoffmann W, Schwahn C, Simon P, et al. . Independent risk factors for gallstone formation in a region with high cholelithiasis prevalence. Digestion. (2005) 71:97–105. doi: 10.1159/000084525, PMID: - DOI - PubMed