Beyond insulin resistance: insights into the clinical utility of TyG and TG/HDL-C in hospitalized patients.

BACKGROUND: The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and triglyceride-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio are established surrogate markers of insulin resistance and cardiometabolic risk, but their interpretation in hospitalized patients remains unclear. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated associations of TyG and TG/HDL-C with clinical characteristics, laboratory parameters, and cause of admission in 101 consecutive internal medicine inpatients. RESULTS: Both indices correlated strongly with triglycerides (TyG: ρ = 0.765, p < 0.001; TG/HDL-C: ρ = 0.861, p < 0.001) and were associated with renal dysfunction (urea: TyG ρ = 0.391, p < 0.001; TG/HDL-C ρ = 0.300, p = 0.002). Urea remained independently associated with TyG (β = 0.003, p = 0.033) and TG/HDL-C (β = 0.006, p = 0.003). Hematological (β=-0.815, p = 0.007) and infectious/fever of unknown origin admissions (β=-0.663, p = 0.039) were independently associated with lower TyG values. CONCLUSIONS: In hospitalized patients, TyG and TG/HDL-C reflect a broader cardiometabolic-inflammatory-renal profile, warranting cautious interpretation and further study.