A Positive Relationship Exists between the Triglyceride to Glucose Index and Waist-to-Hip Ratio with Stroke Risk in...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Epidemiology
• Metabolic Syndrome Research
• Public Health

Background:

• The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) are indicators of metabolic dysfunction.
• Assessing combined indices like TyG-WHR may offer improved prediction of cardiovascular events.
• Stroke remains a leading cause of disability and mortality globally, necessitating better risk stratification tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between the triglyceride-glucose index-waist-to-hip ratio (TyG-WHR) and the risk of stroke.
• To identify a potential threshold for TyG-WHR in predicting stroke risk.
• To explore the nonlinear relationship between TyG-WHR and stroke incidence in a Chinese population.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) from 2011 to 2020.
• Included 4,911 participants (2,338 males, 2,573 females) assessed via standardized questionnaires and interviews.
• Employed Cox proportional hazards regression with cubic spline functions to analyze the nonlinear association between TyG-WHR and stroke risk.

Main Results:

• A significant nonlinear association was found between TyG-WHR and stroke risk.
• A threshold of TyG-WHR at 4.635 was identified.
• Stroke risk was not significantly associated with TyG-WHR below 4.635 (HR=0.813), but significantly increased above this threshold (HR=1.271).

Conclusions:

• The TyG-WHR demonstrates a positive, nonlinear association with stroke risk in middle-aged and elderly Chinese individuals.
• A TyG-WHR exceeding 4.635 is a significant predictor of increased stroke occurrence.
• Clinical strategies aimed at lowering TyG-WHR, particularly below 4.635, may be beneficial for stroke risk reduction.