Triglyceride glucose index as a causal risk factor for metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease: evidence from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-2020 and Mendelian randomization.
Zhiwei Su, Juan Xue, Jun Sun, Yuxue Ding, Chunyan Ji
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background/aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a global health burden increasing liver-related mortality. Existing cross-sectional studies lack causal evidence between the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index and MAFLD. Utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2020 and Mendelian randomization, this study aimed to investigate the causal association between the TyG index and MAFLD.
Methods: On the basis of the 2017-2020 NHANES data, baseline characteristics of MAFLD cases and the control group were comparatively analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression evaluated the association between the TyG index and MAFLD, with restricted cubic splines (RCS) employed for nonlinear relationship assessment. A two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis examined potential causal relationships, while comprehensive sensitivity analyses validated the robustness of the principal findings.
Results: Cross-sectional analysis revealed a significant positive linear association between the TyG index and MAFLD risk. After multivariable adjustment, the odds ratio (OR) was 2.30 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.71-3.10, P < 0.001]. RCS analysis further confirmed a monotonic linear relationship between the TyG index and MAFLD risk. The test for nonlinearity was nonsignificant ( P = 0.07), confirming a linear dose-response. Mendelian randomization analysis indicated that a genetically predicted 1-unit increase in TyG index was associated with 64% higher MAFLD risk (OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.07-2.50, P = 0.02).
Conclusion: This study using cross-sectional data and Mendelian randomization confirms the TyG index as an independent causal risk factor for MAFLD, highlighting the need for early monitoring and intervention to inform precision prevention strategies.
期刊介绍：
European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology publishes papers reporting original clinical and scientific research which are of a high standard and which contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field of gastroenterology and hepatology.
The journal publishes three types of manuscript: in-depth reviews (by invitation only), full papers and case reports. Manuscripts submitted to the journal will be accepted on the understanding that the author has not previously submitted the paper to another journal or had the material published elsewhere. Authors are asked to disclose any affiliations, including financial, consultant, or institutional associations, that might lead to bias or a conflict of interest.
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