[Determination of the insulin resistance index by the Homeostasis Model Assessment in a population of Metropolitan Region in Chile].
BACKGROUND
Insulin resistance is defined as an inappropriate high level of plasma insulin required to maintain metabolic homeostasis. It is associated with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The glucose clamp technique is the standard method for the measurement of insulin resistance. However, this method is laborious, expensive and impractical to perform in epidemiological investigations. The homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) has been proposed to assess insulin resistance and secretion, using fasting glucose and insulin concentrations.


OBJECTIVE
To measure insulin resistance using HOMA (HOMAIR) in a population sample from the Metropolitan Region in Chile.


METHODS
One hundred twenty subjects (59 female) with a normal body mass index and fasting blood glucose were studied. Fasting plasma glucose was measured by a glucose oxidase method and serum insulin was measured by radio immunoassay.


RESULTS
Fasting blood glucose was 81.6 +/- 9.4 mg/dl and serum insulin was 9.7 +/- 2.4 microU/ml. Mean HOMA insulin resistance was 1.96 +/- 0.57 (range 0.5 and 3.0).


CONCLUSIONS
These HOMA values can be used as reference for Chilean non obese individuals.
Acosta
Ana M
AM
Departamento de Nutrición, Diabetes y Metabolismo, Facultad de Medicina, Laboratorio de Citología Bioquímica y Lípidos, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Marcoleta 347, Santiago, Chile. acosta@med.puc.cl
Escalona
Manuel
M
Maiz
Alberto
A
Pollak
Felipe
F
Leighton
Federico
F
D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D002677:Chile; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin