Association between triglyceride-glucose index and gallstones: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

This study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to investigate the relationship between the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and gallstones. We evaluated the data collected between 2017 to 2020. To evaluate the relationship between TyG index and gallstones, logistic regression analysis, basic characteristics of participants, subgroup analysis, and smooth curve fitting were utilized. The study included 3870 participants over the age of 20 years, 403 of whom reported gallstones, with a prevalence rate of 10.4%. After adjusting for all confounding factors, the risk of gallstones increased by 41% for each unit increase in the TyG index (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.07, 1.86). The smooth curve fitting also showed a positive correlation between the TyG index and gallstones. Subgroup analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between the TyG index and the risk of gallstones in those aged < 50 years, women, individuals with total cholesterol levels > 200 mg/dL, individuals with body mass index (BMI) > 25, and individuals without diabetes. The risk of gallstones is positively correlated with a higher TyG index. Thus, the TyG index can be used as a predictor of the risk of gallstones.

Keywords: Cross-sectional study; Gallstones; Insulin resistance (IR); NHANES; Triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index.

Figure 1

Flowchart for choosing participants. NHANES, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Figure 2

Smooth curve fitting exhibited the relationship between the TyG index and the risk of gallstones. Smooth curve fitting exhibited a positive linear correlation between the TyG index and the risk of gallstones in this figure, and a 95% confidence interval (Cl) was displayed for the region between the upper and lower dashed lines. Adjusting for all covariates. (gender, age, race, education level, marital status, poverty-to-income ratio (PIR), alcohol consumption, smoking status, hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, BMI, fasting glucose level, low-density cholesterol level, triglyceride level, total cholesterol level and waist circumference(WC)).