Relationships among fibrosis-4, triglyceride-glucose index, and cardiovascular disease: Evidence from the NHANES 2003-2018

Objective

The Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index is linked to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), but the role of the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index in this relationship remains unclear. This study evaluates the associations among FIB-4, TyG, and CVD-related outcomes, and explores whether TyG mediates these effects.

Methods

This cross-sectional and cohort study analyzed data from NHANES (2003–2018). Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models assessed the associations between FIB-4, TyG, CVD, and all-cause mortality (ACM). Restricted cubic spline (RCS) curves examined potential non-linear relationships, and mediation analysis tested TyG’s role in mediating the effect of FIB-4 on CVD and ACM.

Results

Among 19,119 participants, 2229 (9.28 %) were diagnosed with CVD. Individuals with FIB-4 levels above the median and elevated TyG levels (above the median) exhibited the highest risk of CVD (odds ratio = 6.02; 95 % CI: 3.60–10.06). Among CVD patients, those with elevated FIB-4 and TyG levels faced a substantially higher risk of ACM (HR = 2.98; 95 % CI: 1.75–5.09). RCS curves revealed a strong positive correlation between FIB-4, TyG, and both CVD and the risk of ACM. Mediation analysis revealed that TyG partially mediated the effect of FIB-4 on CVD incidence (mediation proportion: 31.82 %, P_indir < 0.001), whereas TyG did not mediate the association between FIB-4 and ACM (mediation proportion: 1.28 %, P_indir = 0.91).

Conclusion

Elevated FIB-4 levels indirectly increase CVD risk via TyG, and combining both indices improve CVD and mortality prediction. These findings suggest that managing both liver fibrosis and insulin resistance could reduce CVD and mortality risk.