Association of the triglyceride-glucose index with the risk of sarcopenia: a meta-analysis with clinical implications
Year: 2026
Type: review
Study designs: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis
Abstract: PURPOSE: Sarcopenia is associated with adverse clinical outcomes in older adults, yet simple and widely available biomarkers for early risk identification remain limited. This study aimed to determine the relationship between the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and the risk of sarcopenia. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science and CNKI databases were searched up to October 27, 2025. Observational studies reporting the association between the TyG index and sarcopenia were included. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the risk of sarcopenia associated with different TyG index levels, and subgroup analyses based on sex, age, comorbidity of diabetes mellitus and the TyG index grouping method were performed. All the statistical analyses were conducted with STATA 17.0 software. RESULTS: Twelve studies involving 46,417 patients were included, with a sarcopenia prevalence of 12.2%. The pooled results demonstrated that a lower TyG index was significantly associated with an increased risk of sarcopenia (OR = 2.06, 95% CI: 1.65-2.58, P < 0.001). Subgroup analyses by sex (male: OR = 2.47, P = 0.012; female: OR = 2.00, P = 0.006), age (older: OR = 2.02, P < 0.001; younger: OR = 1.84, P = 0.117), comorbidity of diabetes mellitus (nondiabetic: OR = 2.79, P < 0.001) and grouping method by the TyG index (binary variable: OR = 2.14, P = 0.003; continuous variable: OR = 2.10, P < 0.001) revealed consistent results, indicating the significant association of TyG index with sarcopenia risk. CONCLUSION: The TyG index was significantly related to the prevalence of sarcopenia, and a lower TyG index indicated an increased risk of sarcopenia. REGISTRATION: International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Metaanalysis Protocols No. INPLASY202640080, DOI https://doi.org/10.37766/inplasy2026.4.0080 , https://inplasy.com/ . CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.
Source: BMC Endocrine Disorders
Authors: Jing Wei, Li Yuan, Linzhu Xiong, Lin Ruan, Rui Lin, Hongmei Jiang
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,190
OpenAlex ID: W7162765713