The triglyceride-glucose index, metabolic biomarkers, and olive oil in diabetic patients: Real-world evidence from a propensity-score matched study

Abstract

Objectives: Using the Triglyceride-Glucose (TyG) index to categorize patients and to compare the effects of different oils on metabolic biomarkers among diabetic patients. Methods: A total of 98 diabetic patients were included in this retrospective hospital-based study of which data were obtained from medical and dietary records. The participants were divided into soybean oil groups or olive oil groups according to the dietary packages they chose during hospitalization, which merely differed in the kinds of cooking oil (olive oil vs. soybean oil). After being matched based on propensity scores in a 1:1 ratio with a 0.2 caliber width, 70 subjects were finally included in the analysis. Results: Compared to admission, blood pressure, lipids, and postprandial blood glucose were decreased at discharge in both groups. Grip strength levels of both hands increased in the olive oil group, while no statistical differences were found for these measures in the soybean oil group. In both the soybean oil and olive oil groups, metabolic biomarkers showed broader improvements at discharge for participants with high TyG levels compared to those with low TyG levels. Additionally, patients with high TyG levels in the olive oil group experienced the greatest benefits in terms of blood glucose, lipids, blood pressure, and handgrip strength before and after hospitalization. Conclusions: Olive oil may have more advantages in improving metabolic risk factors among diabetic patients. The TyG index can be a valuable tool for clinically screening and categorizing patients for personalized precision treatment.