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Meta-Analysis
. 2025 May 1;25(1):328.
doi: 10.1186/s12876-025-03888-x.

Triglyceride glucose waist circumference and non alcoholic fatty liver disease: a systematic review and meta analysis

Ziyi Xin #  1 , Lanlan Feng #  1 , Qingwen Yu #  1 , Yongmin Shi  1 , Ting Tang  1 , Xuhan Tong  1 , Siqi Hu  1 , Yao You  1 , Shenghui Zhang  1 , Xingwei Zhang  1 , Mingwei Wang  2   3 , Jiake Tang  4
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Triglyceride glucose waist circumference and non alcoholic fatty liver disease: a systematic review and meta analysis

Ziyi Xin et al. BMC Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Background: Insulin resistance (IR) plays a noticeable role in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The triglyceride glucose-waist circumference (TyG-WC) index, a novel measure for assessing IR, may hold significant predictive value for NAFLD. However, the relationship between TyG-WC and the risk of NAFLD remains elusive. To investigate this association, this comprehensive meta-analysis was conducted.

Methods: A systematic electronic search was conducted using the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases from their inception until July 2024 to identify observational studies assessing the relationship between TyG-WC and the risk of NAFLD. Joanna Briggs Institute's critical appraisal checklist was utilized to evaluate the quality of cross-sectional studies, while the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) score was used to assess cohort studies. The principal summary outcomes included the mean difference (MD) and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results: In total, 10 studies comprising 38,518 participants were included in this meta-analysis, of whom 37% were diagnosed with NAFLD. The analysis revealed a significant MD between NAFLD and non-NAFLD cases (MD, 137.41; [95% CI, 121.52-153.31]).

Conclusion: A significant MD was identified between NAFLD and non-NAFLD cases. The TyG-WC index was found to be positively correlated with the risk of NAFLD, suggesting that it may serve as a potential indicator for NAFLD.

Keywords: Insulin resistance; Meta-analysis; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; TyG-WC index.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow chart of the study selection process
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Meta-analysis of studies reporting TyG-WC in NAFLD vs. non-NAFLD subjects using a random-effects model and a MD with 95% CI
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Meta-analysis of studies reporting TyG-WC in NAFLD vs. non-NAFLD subjects using a fix-effects model and a MD with 95% CI
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Funnel plot of meta-analysis
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Subgroup analysis of TyG-WC and risk of NAFLD. (A) Subgroup analysis according to Asia and non-Asia. (B) Subgroup analysis according to age. (C) Subgroup analysis according to BMI
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
TyG-WC Index in NAFLD Progression
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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