ObjectiveTo investigate the correlation between the triglyceride-glucose(TyG) index and severity of coronary lesions in patients with coronary artery disease.

MethodsFrom 2018 to 2019, 1 804 patients with coronary heart disease diagnosed by coronary angiography from the Department of Cardiology of The Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University were investigated, and the clinical characteristics, TyG index, other biochemical indexes and echocardiography imaging were recorded.The Gensini score was calculated according to the results of coronary angiography.According to the TyG index, the patients were divided into the group 1(451 cases, TyG index ≤ 8.38), group 2(451 cases, 8.38 < TyG index ≤ 8.71), group 3(451 cases, 8.71 < TyG index ≤ 9.14) and group 4(451 cases, TyG index >9.14).

ResultsThere was a positive linear correlation between the TyG index and Gensini score in patients with coronary heart disease(r=0.049, P < 0.05).The higher TyG index was, the more severe the coronary artery lesions were.In addition, the patients with high TyG index(group 4) were young, high incidence rates of hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes mellitus, and high levels of blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein(P < 0.05 to P < 0.01).The area under ROC curve for TyG index to evaluate severe coronary artery disease(Gensini score ≥ 60 points) was 0.754(95%CI: 0.722-0.787, P < 0.05), and the best diagnostic value was TyG index ≥ 9.27.At this time, the sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis were 0.612 and 0.805, respectively.

ConclusionsThe TyG index is positively correlated with the severity of coronary artery disease, and closely related to the risk factors of cardiovascular disease.It can be used as an effective tool to identify the severity of coronary artery disease.