Correlation Between Coronary Artery Calcium Score and Triglyceride-Glucose Index in Post-menopausal Women

INTRODUCTION

To clarify the correlation between coronary artery calcium score (CACS) and triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index in post-menopausal women.

METHODS

Post-menopausal women who underwent computed tomography angiography with the suspicion of acute coronary syndrome were included in the study. Patients were categorized into three groups (CACS < 100 as group 1, CACS = 100-300 as group 2, and CACS > 300 as group 3). Groups were compared with regard to demographic characteristics, laboratory test outcomes, electrocardiogram findings, and the TyG index.

RESULTS

The study was conducted by examining the data of 228 patients. Median TyG index was 9.0 and median CACS was 79.5. The median age was significantly lower in group 1 (p = 0.001). Diabetes mellitus rate and smoking rate were higher in group 3 compared to the other groups (p = 0.037 and p = 0.032). The glucose level was significantly higher for group 3 (p = 0.001). Additionally, the TyG index was 9.3 in group 3 and was statistically significantly higher than the values in group 1 and group 2 (8.9 and 9.1, respectively) (p = 0.005). There was a moderate correlation between CACS and age (correlation coefficient (CC): 0.241, p = 0.001). Also, there was a significant correlation between glucose level and CACS (CC: 0.307, p = 0.001). A high correlation was found between the TyG index and CACS (CC: 0.424, p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrated for the first time that there was a strong correlation between the TyG index and CACS in post-menopausal patients. In addition, patients with increased age, patients with higher glucose levels, and diabetic patients had significantly higher CACS.

Evaluation of TyG index and TG/HDL-C ratio in HBeAg negative chronic hepatitis B infected patients

Patients with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) negative chronic HBV infection are regularly followed up. This study investigates the presence of insulin resistance and the relationship between hepatosteatosis and insulin resistance in patients with HBeAg negative chronic HBV infection using the TyG index and TG/HDL-C ratio. Patients with HBeAg negative chronic HBV infection who applied to the Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology outpatient clinic between January 2019 and December 2020 were included in the study. Glucose, lipid panel, alanine amino transferase (ALT), acetyl amino transferase (AST), body mass index (BMI), TyG index, TG/HDL-C and hepatobiliary ultrasonography (USG) results were evaluated. The data were compared with the control group consisting of 308 HBsAg negative individuals. The study included 132 patients with a median age of 52 years. There was no significant difference between the patient and control groups regarding age, gender and BMI. Glucose, total cholesterol, TG, LDL, AST, ALT, TyG index and TG/HDL-C ratio were significantly higher in patient than in the control group. At the same time, the HDL value was significantly lower in the patients. There was a strong positive correlation between the TG and BMI, and a strong negative correlation between HDL levels and both TyG index and TG/HDL-C ratio. Our findings showed that the TyG index and TG/HDL-C ratio are helpful in the diagnosis of insulin resistance and hepatosteatosis in patients with HBeAg negative chronic HBV infection.

Comparison of Novel Biomarkers of Insulin Resistance With Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance, Its Correlation to Metabolic Syndrome in South Indian Population and Proposition of Population Specific Cutoffs for These Indices

Background The clustering of risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in individuals has been defined as Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). The major forerunner of all the components of MetS is Insulin Resistance (IR) which is measured by the Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and requires the measurement of fasting plasma insulin levels. We attempted to study the performance of lipid-based biochemical markers of IR for the diagnosis of MetS and postulate a population-specific cutoff for these indices in the South Indian population. In this study, we analyzed three lipid-based indices, Triglyceride Glucose index (TyG index), triglyceride: high-Density Lipoprotein (TG:HDL) ratio, and lipid accumulation product (LAP).  Methods This was a cross-sectional study and included apparently healthy individuals presenting to our hospital for routine Master Health Checkup assessment and apparently healthy population residing in Kallindhiri, a village near Madurai. Based on the anthropometric measurements and blood investigations, Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist hip ratio, Waist height ratio, HOMA-IR, TyG index, TG:HDL ratio, and LAP were calculated. The diagnostic efficacy of these indices was compared against the presence of MetS based on the NCEP ATP III criteria. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) Curve was performed to discriminate decision levels (cutoffs) of serum markers in early diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. The results were considered significant with a p-value less than 0.05. Results We included a total of 192 patients in our study, consisting of 36% (n=70) males and 63% (n=122) females. All the baseline characteristics except height, weight, and HDL cholesterol were comparable between the male and female groups. The values of HOMA-IR, TyG index, TG:HDL ratio, and LAP showed an increasing trend with the BMI. The mean values of HOMA-IR, TyG index, TG:HDL ratio and LAP was significantly higher in patients with MetS than in patients without MetS. Based on the ROC curve plotted for the data, a population-specific cutoff for these indices was computed. Our proposed cutoff for the South Indian population for HOMA-IR is 1.23, for TyG index is 4.65, for TG:HDL ratio is 3.44 in males and 2.6 in females and for LAP is 43.81 Conclusion The cutoffs for the novel indices of insulin resistance which have been previously studied in Caucasian populations cannot be applied to Indian populations due to distinct ethnic characteristics. The diagnostic accuracy of these novel lipid-based biomarkers of Insulin Resistance is better than the biochemical gold standard of HOMA-IR based on the ROC curve. We propose the usage of these population-specific cutoffs in routine clinical practice for early diagnosis of metabolic syndrome.

The Relationship Between Acne Vulgaris and Insulin Resistance

Acne vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous unit that usually affects adolescents. The aetiology and severity of acne may be influenced by hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance. A case-control study was conducted in the dermatology outpatient clinic of Al-Fayhaa Teaching Hospital in Basrah city. C-peptide and triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index levels were measured in 43 acne vulgaris patients who were age- and gender-matched with 48 controls. The results found that 81% and 67% of acne patients have insulin resistance based on their C-peptide and TyG index levels, respectively, and this is significantly higher than the control candidates (P = 0.001). Furthermore, a higher value of C-peptide was found among acne cases compared to controls (2.84 ± 1.23 vs. 1.68 ± 0.19) (P = 0.001), and a higher value of the TyG index was found among cases compared to controls (4.43 ± 0.17 vs. 3.38 ± 0.19) (P = 0.001), in addition to a significant positive and strong correlation between the level of these biomarkers and the acne severity (r = 0.760 for the C-peptide and 0.814 for the TyG index) (P = 0.001).

Correlation of Insulin Resistance With Short-Term Outcome in Nondiabetic Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND

 Obviously, hyperglycemia and insulin resistance (IR) are common in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Additionally, IR is a substantial risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The study aims to evaluate the association between IR and short-term outcomes of acute STEMI patients without diabetes mellitus in the form of reperfusion success, the occurrence of heart failure, the development of arrhythmias, and mortality.

METHOD

 A cross-sectional study was done from August 2021 to December 2021 in two cardiology centers in Al-Sadr Teaching hospital and Basrah Oil hospital in Basrah, Southern Iraq. Sixty-one nondiabetic hospitalized patients with acute STEMI were included in the study. Twenty-five (41%) of them received thrombolytics and 36 (59%) were managed with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. From each patient, a fasting blood sample was taken for calculation of the Homeostasis Model Assessment for IR (HOMA-IR) and triglyceride glucose index (TyG) index. The patients were evaluated within 1-week for (reperfusion success, echocardiography for calculation of the ejection fraction (EF), arrhythmias, and mortality), and within 4-weeks for mortality.

RESULTS

 Within the tertile 3 of the HOMA-IR and TyG index, significant higher 4-week mortality (35% and 30%, respectively). Pearson correlation also showed significant and negative correlations between both HOMA-IR and TyG index values and EF. While reperfusion success, arrhythmias, and 1-week mortality did not correlate significantly with both HOMA-IR and TyG index.

CONCLUSION

 IR as defined by HOMA-IR and TyG index was significantly associated with poor outcomes in patients with acute STEMI in the form of EF<55 and 4-week mortality.

Association of Alzheimer's Disease and Insulin Resistance in King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah

Background Alzheimer's disease (AD) and insulin resistance (IR) are common in the elderly. IR reduces the ability of insulin to work effectively on target tissues. This results in hyperglycemia, increased triglyceride levels, decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, elevated blood pressure, and central obesity, a condition known as metabolic syndrome (MetS). MetS eventually affects cognition, but its relationship with AD is unclear. Therefore, we studied the association between AD and IR and the relation between AD and diabetic patients treated with insulin. Methods This was a record-based retrospective cohort study using data from King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Ministry of National Guards-Health Affairs. for all patients with dementia and AD, from 2009 to 2018. We examined 354 patient files. The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index was used for the assessment of IR. Results There was no significant association between patients' demographic data, glycated hemoglobin, and co-morbidities and developing AD. Statistical models showed that, after adjustment for age, patients with IR had a significantly higher likelihood of AD (adjusted OR = 1.4; 95% CI: 1.01-2.33). After multivariate adjustment, patients with IR still had a 20% higher probability of developing AD than others (adjusted OR = 1.2; 95% CI: 1.0-3.1). Conclusion These results suggest that AD is associated with IR. Moreover, the association may be confounded by many patient-related factors.