Association of C-Reactive Protein-Triglyceride Glucose Index With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Results From the NHANES and CHARLS Cohorts.

BACKGROUND

The C-reactive protein (CRP)-triglyceride glucose index (CTI) is a new composite biomarker used to assess inflammation and insulin resistance (IR) severity. Inflammation and IR play important roles in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the impact of CTI on COPD remains unknown.

METHODS

To explore the association between CTI and the prevalence of COPD, a total of 8682 participants from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and 8986 participants from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were included. We used logistic multivariate regression to evaluate the association between CTI and COPD. In addition, smooth curve fitting analyzed dose-response relationships, while subgroup analyses explored effect heterogeneity.

RESULTS

We found a positive correlation between CTI and the risk of COPD after adjusting for all covariates in the NHANES database (OR = 1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.18-1.53), which is consistent with the findings obtained from Cox regression analysis in the CHARLS database (HR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.07-1.26), with consistent dose-response trends confirmed by restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses. Subgroup analyses confirmed consistency across most strata, with a significant interaction detected with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Sensitivity analyses further confirmed the robustness of associations.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate a significant association between CTI and COPD, suggesting its potential role as a biomarker for the prevention and treatment of COPD.