Assessing coronary artery disease severity using the TyG index in patients with LDL-C < 2.6 mmol/l.

BACKGROUND

Determining the triglyceride‒glucose (TyG) index’s relationship to coronary lesions in patients with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) targes will inform precision management of cardiovascular disease.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort included 821 enrolled patients with LDL-C levels < 2.6 mmol/L who underwent coronary angiography at the Department of Cardiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from January 2016 to February 2024. Participants were stratified by coronary heart disease (CHD) diagnosis, with subgroup analyses based on the number of vessels with coronary lesions and the Gensini score. Demographic and clinical data were collected, and the TyG index was calculated. Multiple statistical methods were employed to evaluate associations between variables and coronary lesion severity.

RESULTS

Among the 821 enrolled patients, 644 were diagnosed with CHD, and 177 were not. An elevated TyG index was an independent CHD risk factor and was directly correlated with progressive coronary stenosis. Patients in the high-TyG subgroup presented more severe metabolic abnormalities and a higher CHD risk. The combination of the TyG index and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was more strongly associated with CHD than either marker alone. HbA1c fully mediated the association between the TyG index and both CHD and lesion severity. The TyG index showed a stronger correlation with CHD in subgroup analyses, particularly among CHD patients not receiving lipid-lowering drugs and those wuth HbA1c levels < 6.5%.

CONCLUSION

In individuals with LDL-C levels less than 2.6mmol/L, the TyG index remains independently associated with both the risk of CHD and the severity of coronary lesions. Integrating TyG and HbA1c optimizes risk stratification.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12944-025-02691-7.