Triglyceride Glucose Index Increases Significantly Risk of Hypertension Development in Chinese Individuals Aged ≥45 Years Old: Analysis from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to explore the relationship between triglyceride glucose (TyG) index and the risk of new-onset hypertension in Chinese individuals aged ≥45 years. METHODS: From 2011 to 2018, data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS) were analyzed. The relationship between TyG index and hypertension was assessed utilizing Cox regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) plot, and the importance of the TyG index in hypertension development was demonstrated by a random forest machine learning model. Finally, subgroup analysis was conducted to test for potential interactions on hypertension development between the TyG index and subgroups. RESULTS: 19.7% of the 4755 individuals who were involved in this survey developed hypertension over an average follow-up period of 5.22 years. Compared with the first quartile of albumin, the multivariate HR (95% CI) for the risk of new-onset hypertension across the TyG index quartiles was 1.09 (0.89, 1.33), 1.09 (0.89, 1.33), and 1.29 (1.06, 1.58), respectively (P for trend <0.001). The RCS plot revealed a linear relationship (P for nonlinear = 0.322), and the random forest machine learning model illustrated that the TyG index was a significant hazard factor on hypertension development. There was no interaction between subgroups and the relationships of the TyG index with the prevalence of hypertension (all P-value >0.05). CONCLUSION: TyG index was an independent hazard indicator for new-onset hypertension, and routine measurement and control of TyG index level might be great for preventing hypertension development.