The Relationship between Hyperuricemia and Triglyceride Glucose Index: Based on 2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Hyperuricemia refers to an excess of uric acid in the blood and is associated with gouty arthritis, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, atrial fibrillation, kidney stones, insulin resistance (IR), and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Previous studies have used the homeostatic model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR), a well-known index of IR, to investigation the correlation between serum uric acid levels and IR. However, difficulty with measuring insulin levels limits the clinical applicability of the HOMA-IR index. This study investigated the correlation between hyperuricemia and the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index.METHODS: We used data from the Seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2016. The study population included adults without diabetes aged >19 years. The TyG index, which serves as an indicator of IR, was calculated using fasting serum glucose and triglyceride levels to investigate the correlation between the TyG index and hyperuricemia. Pearson's correlation coefficient and analysis of covariance were used for statistical analysis, which was performed using IBM SPSS software.RESULTS: A statistically significant correlation was observed between serum uric acid levels and the TyG index. After adjustment for factors that may affect IR (age, body mass index, waist circumference, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures), we observed that the TyG index was significantly higher in the hyperuricemia than in the non-hyperuricemia group (8.96 vs. 8.54, P < 0.001).CONCLUSION: Serum uric acid levels were significantly correlated with IR assessed using the TyG index in adults without diabetes aged >19 years.