Association between waist triglyceride index and gallstones: A cross-sectional study

The waist triglyceride index (WTI), a novel indicator, has attracted much attention and is considered a reliable alternative marker for identifying metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, its relationship with gallstones has not been studied. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the association between the WTI and gallstones. Data collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2017 to 2020 were analyzed. The National Center for Health Statistics Institutional Review Board approved the study protocol, and all participants gave written informed permission. To ensure the accuracy and rigor of the study, we used participant characteristic analysis, multivariate logistic regression analysis, smooth curve fitting, and subgroup analysis for evaluation. Furthermore, the receiver operating characteristic curve was employed to compare the predictive capability of WTI with other metabolic indicators, thereby assessing its discriminatory power. The study included 3752 participants; gallstones were reported by 399 of them, representing a 10.6% prevalence rate. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the odds of prevalent gallstones were 75% higher for each unit increase in the WTI (OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.41-2.18). Furthermore, a positive relationship between the WTI and gallstones was demonstrated by smooth curve fitting. The subgroup analysis revealed that there was a significant positive association between WTI and gallstones in the individuals aged <50 years and individuals with HbA1c >6.5%. The WTI demonstrated superior predictive ability (AUC = 0.661) compared to visceral adiposity index, triglyceride-glucose index (TyG), waist circumference, body mass index and triglyceride (TG). Our study reveals that a higher WTI represents a higher odd of gallstones. Therefore, the WTI may be used as an associated marker for gallstones.