The hypertriglyceridemic waist phenotype is associated with an adverse cardiometabolic profile in this cohort of Nigerians

Abstract

Introduction: The hypertriglyceridemic waist (HTGW) phenotype was introduced as a means of identifying individuals at
risk of developing metabolic syndrome as well as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. However, studies surrounding the
prevalence of the phenotype and its relationship with established markers of cardiometabolic risk, especially in the Nigerian
population, remain sparse. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of the HTGW phenotype and explore its relationship
with cardiovascular risk markers, namely Castelli Risk Indices I and II (CRI-I and CRI-II), Atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP)
and serum triglyceride-HDL cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL).
Methodology: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, the records of 206 patients presenting at a cardiac hospital from
November 2022 to October 2023 were analysed. The HTGW phenotype was deemed present with a waist circumference of at
least 94cm in men or 80cm in women and a serum triglyceride level of 150mg/dl or more in both sexes.
Results: At-risk waist circumference was more prevalent in women (92.7% vs 77.3%; p=0.002). The prevalence of the
HTWG phenotype in the patient cohort was 29.6%, with more males than females (31.8% vs 27.1%) presenting with the
phenotype (p=0.004). Patients with the phenotype also had higher systolic blood pressure, waist circumference, body mass
index, triglycerides, AIP, and TG/HDL (all p<0.0005). The HTWG phenotype was also associated with a lower HDL and LDL
cholesterol (p<0.0005) as well as a lower CRI-II (p=0.049).
Conclusion: The HTWG phenotype correlates with an increased cardiometabolic risk among Nigerians. This finding warrants
the implementation of routine anthropometric and serum triglyceride measurements in screening programmes and hospitals for
the early detection of individuals at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.