Exploring Gender Differences in the Association Between TyG Index and COPD: A Cross-Sectional Study from NHANES 1999-2018

Purpose: This study examined gender differences in the association of Triglyceride-Glucose (TyG) index with the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), particularly in a non-diabetic population.
Methods: The study leveraged data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), spanning from 1999 to 2018, with a cohort of 23,456 participants. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline analyses were employed to explore the relationship between the TyG index and COPD prevalence.
Results: Statistical analyses revealed a significant positive association between the TyG index and COPD prevalence among non-diabetic women after adjustment for all covariates (OR=1.50; 95% CI, 1.08– 2.08), supported by a linear relationship (P for non-linearity=0.298). No equivalent significant association was found in non-diabetic men (OR=1.00; 95% CI, 0.67– 1.48). Within the diabetic group, the TyG index did not show a significant association with COPD prevalence, regardless of gender.
Conclusion: Our study reveals a significant positive correlation between the TyG index and COPD prevalence in the non-diabetic population, marked by notable gender differences.

Keywords: TyG index, insulin resistance, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cross-sectional study