Role of Triglyceride Glucose Index and Other Triglyceride Ratios in Predicting Metabolic Syndrome among Medical Students in Karnataka: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) has emerged as one of the public health problem. MetS is a group of disorders, which increase the risk of chronic diseases and it is associated with high mortality. Recently, Triglyceride Glucose (TyG) Index, a derivative of fasting serum triglycerides and serum glucose, along with other triglyceride ratios, have been suggested for predicting MetS. Aim: To compare TyG index and other triglyceride ratios among MetS and non MetS medical students and also to assess their ability to predict MetS. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study, was conducted for a period of three months from June 2015 to August 2015 at Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS), Mandya, Karnataka, India. By applying convenient sampling method 325 consenting medical students of both male and female gender pursuing in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th year at MIMS in the age group of 17 to 25 years were included for the study. Their anthropometric parameters were measured using appropriate measuring tools. TyG Index and other triglyceride ratios such as, TyG-Body Mass Index (BMI), TyG-Waist Circumference (WC), TyG-WHpR (WHpR: Waist to Hip ratio) and TyG-WHtR (WHtR: Waist to Height ratio) were calculated. Mean values of various parameters were compared using Student t-test. Pearson’s linear correlation was used to correlate the various parameters with MetS. Results: Out of 325 students, 159 (48.9%) were male students and 166 (51.1%) were female students. The mean value of TyG Index was found to be significantly higher among students with MetS (9.18±0.20) as compared to students with non-MetS (8.52±0.43). Other triglyceride ratios were also significantly higher among students with MetS as compared to non-MetS students. The Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (ROC curve) revealed that, the Area Under the Curve (AUC) for TyG Index was the highest (0.903), as compared to other triglyceride ratios. Conclusion: This study founds that the TyG Index and other triglyceride ratios were higher among students with MetS as compared to non-MetS students. On further analysis, TyG Index found as a better predictor of MetS as compared to other triglyceride ratios

Keywords

• : bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery
• metabolic disorders
• serum glucose
• serum triglycerides