The Association between Triglyceride-glucose Index and Glycemic Control in Women with Diabetes Mellitus Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a prevalent disease condition that represents significant challenges globally. The glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) test is widely used to assess glycemic control in individuals with DM. The triglyceride-glucose ındex (TyG index= Ln[fasting triglycerides (mg/dL) × fasting glucose (mg/dL)/ 2]), which is derived from fasting triglyceride and blood glucose levels (FBG), could offer a cost-effective method for monitoring glycemic control. It has the potential to serve as a tool for assessing insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk simultaneously. Objective: To determine the association between TyG index and glycemic control in women with DM, attending a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka, involving 343 women aged 20 to 80 years, with a confirmed diagnosis of DM for at least one year before recruitment. Biochemical tests (HbA1c, FBS, and lipid profiles) results were obtained from the biochemistry laboratory in the hospital. The HbA1c level below 7% was categorized as good glycemic control, while a level of 7% or higher indicated poor glycemic control. The Spearman's test was used to assess the correlation of TyG index with HbA1c and low- density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Mann Whitney-U test was used to compare the difference of TyG index between good and poor glycemic control groups. Results: Among the participants, 75.5% of subjects had poor glycemic control whereas 24.5% of subjects had good glycemic control. The median (Interquartile Range) values of HbA1c, TyG index and LDL-C were 8.1(2.3)%, 8.89(0.69) and 89.1(36.0) mg/Dl, respectively. TyG index showed a weak but statistically significant positive correlation with HbA1c {Spearman’s rho (ρ) =0.244, p<0.001} and LDL-C (ρ=0.214, p<0.001). A statistically significant increase in TyG index (p<0.001) was observed in the poor glycemic control group [Median (IQR) - 8.95(0.65)] compared to the good glycemic control group [Median (IQR) - 8.70(0.87)]. Conclusions: In women with DM, a higher TyG index was linked to worse glycemic results compared to results with good glycemic control.