Metabolic And Cardiovascular Obesity Scores

TG/HDL-C Ratio Calculator

Clinical calculation support · Verify results before clinical use

Calculate the lipid ratio

Enter triglycerides and HDL-C in the same unit (mg/dL) to calculate the TG/HDL-C ratio.

— Ratio
Use the triglyceride value from the patient's lipid profile.
HDL-C must be greater than zero. Both values must use mg/dL.
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About the TG/HDL-C Ratio

The triglyceride-to-HDL cholesterol ratio is calculated by dividing triglycerides by HDL-C when both measurements use the same units. It has been studied as a surrogate marker associated with insulin resistance and an atherogenic lipid profile.

ItemDefinition
FormulaTriglycerides (mg/dL) ÷ HDL-C (mg/dL)
Below 2.0Lower ratio according to the original tool's heuristic bands
2.0–4.0Intermediate ratio according to the original tool's heuristic bands
Above 4.0Higher ratio according to the original tool's heuristic bands

Important limitations

  • These bands are not universal diagnostic thresholds for insulin resistance or cardiovascular risk.
  • Published thresholds differ across populations and study endpoints; one population study reported sex-specific reference cutoffs.
  • The ratio does not replace assessment of LDL-C, non-HDL-C, diabetes status, blood pressure, smoking, established ASCVD, or a validated overall risk tool.
  • Unexpected or markedly abnormal lipid values should be assessed in the full clinical context.

References

McLaughlin T, et al. Use of the triglyceride to HDL cholesterol ratio to identify insulin resistance in whites and African Americans. Circulation. 2003;107:1210–1213. doi:10.1161/01.CIR.0000057702.95992.C6
Lelis DF, et al. Reference values for the triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein ratio and its association with cardiometabolic diseases in a mixed adult population: The ELSA-Brasil study. J Clin Lipidol. 2021. PMID: 34389285; doi:10.1016/j.jacl.2021.07.005
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