Triglyceride glucose (TyG) index: A promising biomarker for diagnosis and treatment of different diseases

Eur J Intern Med. 2025 Jan:131:3-14. doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2024.08.026. Epub 2024 Oct 29.

Abstract

The Triglyceride-glucose index (TyG index) is a comprehensive statistical measure that incorporates fasting triglyceride and fasting glucose levels. Research has demonstrated that it can serve as an effective alternative biomarker for insulin resistance (IR) due to its high sensitivity and specificity. The TyG index is straightforward to compute and imposes fewer time and cost constraints, rendering it suitable for large populations and advantageous for use in various applications, clinical settings, and epidemiological investigations. Numerous high-quality clinical studies have underscored the significance of the TyG index in diverse medical conditions. This review provides a synthesis of the association between the TyG index and diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, fatty liver, kidney diseases, and reproductive system diseases. Furthermore, the TyG index has exhibited predictive capabilities for identifying IR in children and adolescents. Through a systematic review of pertinent clinical trials, this paper elucidates the correlation between the TyG index and various diseases. The findings presented herein suggest that the TyG index holds promise as a valuable and practical indicator for different medical conditions, prompting a reevaluation of conventional disease risk assessment paradigms and highlighting the intricate interplay of metabolic parameters with diverse diseases. By leveraging insights from the TyG index, tailored disease risk management strategies can be developed to offer a fresh perspective and guidance for clinical interventions.

Keywords: Clinical evidence; Diseases; Insulin resistance; Metabolic parameters; TyG index.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers* / blood
  • Blood Glucose* / analysis
  • Cardiovascular Diseases* / blood
  • Cardiovascular Diseases* / diagnosis
  • Fasting / blood
  • Humans
  • Insulin Resistance*
  • Triglycerides* / blood

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Blood Glucose
  • Triglycerides