DOI: 10.17776/csj.1851365 ISSN: 2587-2680

Association Between the Triglyceride–Glucose Index and Epistaxis: A Biochemical Evaluation

Tuba Doğan Karataş, Ahmet Aksoy, Deniz Ergül, Esra Akaydın Gültürk, Mansur Doğan
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This study examined the relationship between the triglyceride–glucose (TyG) index, a convenient surrogate indicator of insulin resistance, and epistaxis. The study retrospectively analyzed data from 1,320 participants, including 658 patients presenting with epistaxis and 662 healthy controls matched for age and sex. Demographic information and laboratory findings were retrieved from hospital records. The TyG index was derived from fasting plasma glucose and triglyceride measurements, and intergroup comparisons were conducted accordingly. The predictive performance of the TyG index for epistaxis was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and logistic regression models. Patients with epistaxis exhibited significantly higher fasting plasma glucose levels (median: 97.0 vs 93.0 mg/dL, p < 0.001), triglyceride concentrations (median: 126.5 vs 108.0 mg/dL, p < 0.001), and TyG index values (median: 8.79 vs 8.52, p < 0.001) compared with the control group. No significant difference was observed in sex distribution between groups (p = 0.919). ROC analysis indicated that the TyG index demonstrated superior discriminative capacity relative to fasting glucose or triglyceride levels alone (AUC = 0.602). Furthermore, logistic regression analysis showed that each one-unit increase in the TyG index was associated with a 2.039-fold elevation in the odds of epistaxis (OR = 2.039, 95% CI: 1.655–2.513, p < 0.001). A significant positive correlation between age and TyG index was also identified in both study groups (r = 0.53, p < 0.001). Collectively, these findings suggest that metabolic stress and insulin resistance may be associated with vascular vulnerability and the pathogenesis of epistaxis. In conclusion, the TyG index may serve as a complementary and supportive parameter in the risk assessment of epistaxis, particularly among individuals with cardiovascular risk factors. Nevertheless, prospective studies with comprehensive confounder adjustment are required to further establish its clinical relevance.

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