Each 1-unit increase in the TyG index was independently associated with higher odds of hemorrhoidal disease (OR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.24–2.28) and advanced hemorrhoidal disease severity, with BMI partially mediating this association (~27%).
Hemorrhoidal disease prevalence increased progressively across TyG index quartiles, from 23.5% in Q1 to 53.8% in Q4.
Each 1-unit increase in the TyG index was independently associated with significantly higher odds of hemorrhoidal disease after multivariable adjustment.
Participants in the highest TyG quartile (Q4) had significantly greater odds of hemorrhoidal disease compared with those in the lowest quartile (Q1).
Restricted cubic spline analysis showed a significant overall linear association between the TyG index and hemorrhoidal disease without evidence of nonlinearity.
A higher TyG index was associated with advanced (more severe) hemorrhoidal disease.
BMI partially mediated the association between the TyG index and hemorrhoidal disease, accounting for approximately 27% of the association.
This research suggests that higher levels of the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index — a simple measure combining fasting blood sugar and blood fat levels into a single number that reflects insulin resistance — are associated with a greater likelihood of having hemorrhoids and with more severe hemorrhoid disease. The study analyzed data from 528 adults who had undergone rectal examinations, and found that people in the top quarter of TyG scores were more than twice as likely to have hemorrhoids compared to those in the bottom quarter, even after accounting for many other health and lifestyle factors. The relationship between TyG index and hemorrhoids appeared to be linear, meaning the risk gradually increased as the TyG index rose, rather than there being a specific threshold. The study also found that body mass index (BMI) may partly explain this connection, accounting for about 27% of the association, suggesting that metabolic factors — not just local tissue changes — may play a role in hemorrhoid development. These findings remained consistent across various sensitivity and subgroup analyses, strengthening confidence in the observed association. This research suggests that metabolic health, particularly insulin resistance as reflected by the TyG index, may be relevant to hemorrhoidal disease in ways that go beyond traditional risk factors like straining or constipation. However, because the study was cross-sectional (a snapshot in time using historical data), it cannot establish that a high TyG index causes hemorrhoids. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm whether improving metabolic markers might reduce hemorrhoid risk or severity.
Li T, Jiang L, Yang H, Li J. (2026). Association between the triglyceride-glucose index and the presence and severity of hemorrhoidal disease: a cross-sectional study based on retrospectively collected clinical data.. Frontiers in endocrinology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2026.1935994