Correlation Study between Triglyceride-Glucose Index and Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease

GE Huijuan; JIAO Lu; LI Yanghong; TAN Yonggang

doi:10.16458/j.cnki.1007-0893.2025.20.007

Abstract：Objective To explore the relationship between triglyceride-glucose index(TyG)and metabolic associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD).Methods This study was a secondary analysis of relevant data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(NHANES)database in the United States.Data of subjects over 18 years old from the NHANES database in 2017 to 2018 were collected.Weighted generalized linear regression,generalized additive regression,and curve fitting were used to comprehensively evaluate the correlation between TyG and MAFLD after adjusting for multiple covariates.Results A total of 4992 subjects with complete physical examination data,questionnaires,and laboratory test information for diagnosing MAFLD were included in the 2017 to 2018 NHANES database,among whom 2806 met the diagnostic criteria for MAFLD,with a weighted prevalence rate of 54.09%.The weighted generalized linear regression showed that in the fully adjusted model,for every 1-unit increase in TyG,the weighted risk of MAFLD increased by 147%(weighted OR=2.47,95%CI=1.24-4.91,P=0.0111).Further analysis revealed that the correlation between TyG and the weighted risk of MAFLD was most significant in the TyG T3 group(weighted OR=2.55,95%CI=1.29-5.03,P=0.001).Generalized linear models and smooth curve fitting indicated that the risk of MAFLD increased linearly with the increase in TyG overall(OR=3.27,95%CI=2.58-4.14,P<0.001).However,in the T3 group,the relationship between TyG and MAFLD tended to be curvilinear,and when TyG exceeded 9.2 in the T3 group,the risk of MAFLD increased by 597%(OR=6.97,95%CI=2.10-23.09,P=0.0015).Conclusion The TyG index is significantly correlated with the risk of MAFLD,especially when TyG exceeds 9.2,and the risk of MAFLD should be particularly vigilant.