The association between triglyceride glucose index and the risk of cardiovascular disease in obstructive sleep apnea

Abstract

Purpose The triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is a dependable indicator of insulin resistance (IR), serves as a valuable biomarker for identifying obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and predicting its comorbidities. Both OSA and the TyG index are significantly related to the incidence and development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We focus on investigating the relationship between the TyG index and the incidence of CVD risk in OSA. Methods The TyG index, homeostatic model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR) index, and polysomnography were assessed in 191 participants with OSA and without pre-existing CVD. To estimate the lifetime CVD risk, we employed the ‘Prediction for Atherosclerotic CVD Risk in China’ equation. The TyG index’s association with CVD risk was scrutinized using multivariable logistic regression models, contrasting it with the HOMA-IR index. We compared the predictive power for high lifetime CVD risk of the TyG index and the HOMA-IR index using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results A total of 89 participants had high lifetime CVD risk. In fully adjusted model and additionally adjusted for HOMA-IR index, participants situated within the fifth quantile of the TyG index exhibited an increased lifetime CVD risk, with OR of 4.32 (95% CI, 1.19–15.67). The TyG index demonstrated significant predictive power for high lifetime CVD risk across varying severities of OSA and outperformed the HOMA-IR index, as evidenced by a larger area under the ROC curve. Conclusion The TyG index, independent of the HOMA-IR index and obesity, was linked to an increased lifetime CVD risk. In predicting cardiovascular outcomes, the TyG index could potentially outperform the HOMA-IR index among individuals with OSA. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11325-024-03220-z.