Diagnostic value of triglyceride–glucose index and related parameters in metabolism-associated fatty liver disease in a Chinese population: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective Our study aimed to explore the diagnostic value of triglyceride–glucose (TyG) and its related parameters in metabolism-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD).Design A cross-sectional study of residents who attended medical checkups at the First Hospital of Nanping City, Fujian Medical University, between 2015 and 2017.Setting One participation centre.Participants 2605 subjects met the inclusion–exclusion criteria and were grouped according to whether they had MAFLD.Results The TyG index and its associated parameters are positively associated with the risk of developing MAFLD (p<0.001). Restriction cube spline analysis showed a significant dose–response relationship between the TyG index and MAFLD. The risk of developing MAFLD increases significantly with a higher TyG index. After adjusting for confounders, this relationship remains (OR: 4.89, 95% CI 3.98 to 6.00). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of the TyG index for MAFLD detection were 0.793 (0.774 to 0.812). The areas under the curve (AUC) of TyG-related parameters were improved, among which TyG-waist circumference (TyG-WC) showed the largest AUC for MAFLD detection (0.873, 95% CI 0.860 to 0.887). In addition, the best cut-off value of the TyG-WC was 716.743, with a sensitivity and specificity of 88.7% and 71.4%, respectively.Conclusion The TyG index effectively identifies MAFLD, and the TyG-related parameters improved the identification and diagnosis of MAFLD, suggesting that TyG-related parameters, especially TyG-WC, may be a useful marker for diagnosing MAFLD.