The triglyceride glucose index can predict newly diagnosed biopsy-proven diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetes: A nested case control study

Insulin resistance is usually a key factor in the development of type 2 diabetes. The triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is a marker of insulin resistance which is also implicated in the risk of nephropathy among people with type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to examine associations and potential thresholds between TyG index and the risk of newly diagnosed biopsy-proven diabetic nephropathy in people with type 2 diabetes. A nested case–control study incorporating 950 incident biopsy-proven diabetic nephropathy cases and age, gender matched 4750 patients with treated type 2 diabetes as controls selected by risk-set sampling method was implemented. The dose–response association between TyG index with subsequent risk of newly diagnosed biopsy-proven diabetic nephropathy after adjustment for age, gender, blood pressure, and other major cardiovascular risk factors were examined by conditional logistic regression model. A non-linear relationship was identified between TyG index and the risk of newly diagnosed biopsy-proven diabetic nephropathy with a potential threshold of TyG at 9.05–9.09. Similar relationships with the same threshold were also found in the analyses by fasting glucose and triglyceride levels. TyG index might be a prognostic factor in predicting newly development of biopsy-proven diabetic nephropathy among patients with treated type 2 diabetes. In people with type 2 diabetes, TyG index above 9.05–9.09 could be a prognostic threshold to identify individuals at high risk of diabetic nephropathy. Further replication studies are warranted.