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Retrospective study derives age- and sex-specific reference intervals for triglyceride-glucose index

Retrospective study derives age- and sex-specific reference intervals for triglyceride-glucose index
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Key Takeaway
Interpret cautiously — abstract truncation prevents assessment of the derived age- and sex-specific TyG reference intervals.

This retrospective analysis aimed to establish and validate reference intervals (RIs) for the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, a surrogate marker of insulin resistance, using routine health-examination data from adults aged ≥18 years. The derivation cohort excluded individuals with known diabetes, dyslipidemia, or obesity.

The TyG index was calculated as ln[fasting triglyceride (mg/dL) × fasting blood glucose (mg/dL)/2]. After outlier exclusion, authors analyzed the age–TyG relationship using restricted cubic splines and threshold analysis to inform optimal age stratification. Gender- and age-specific RIs were defined as the 2.5th–97.5th percentiles.

Validation used an independent cohort of 127,143 healthy individuals. The abstract text available for review was truncated at the validation success definition, so numeric outcomes, success rates, and final conclusions are not reported here. Derivation cohort size was not reported in the available text.

As a retrospective, observational analysis, associations identified from reference-interval modeling cannot establish causal relationships between TyG index values and clinical outcomes. Safety, tolerability, funding, and conflict-of-interest information were not reported.

Practice relevance is limited until full results are available. Clinicians interested in applying TyG-based RIs should await the complete published report before incorporating these intervals into routine practice.

Study Details

Study typeCohort
EvidenceLevel 3
PublishedApr 2026
View Original Abstract ↓
BackgroundThe triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is a recognized surrogate marker of insulin resistance. However, validated reference intervals (RIs) for the TyG index in large, general healthy populations are currently lacking, limiting its standardized application in clinical practice.MethodsThis retrospective study established and validated TyG index RIs using data from adults (≥18 years) undergoing routine health examinations. The derivation cohort included individuals without known diabetes, dyslipidemia, or obesity. The TyG index was calculated as ln[fasting triglyceride (mg/dL) × fasting blood glucose (mg/dL)/2]. After outlier exclusion, we analyzed the age-TyG relationship using restricted cubic splines and threshold analysis to determine optimal age stratification. Gender- and age-specific RIs were defined as the 2.5th–97.5th percentiles. An independent cohort of 127,143 healthy individuals was used for validation, with success defined as
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