title: Two measures of insulin sensitivity provided similar information in a U.S. population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Two methods for measuring insulin sensitivity, fasting plasma insulin (FPI) and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) have been proposed for use in large epidemiological research and clinical practice. This project describes the range of observed values of the HOMA and FPI in a large sample of the U.S. population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used fasting plasma glucose and insulin values from the Third National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES III) to identify the FPI and HOMA values. For both FPI and HOMA, higher values indicate lower insulin sensitivity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 6,511 participants without treated diabetes mellitus, FPI ranged from 1.8 to 175.8 microU/mL, with 25th percentile=6.7, median=9.3, 75th percentile=13.3, and mean+/-1 SD=11.2+/-7.5; HOMA ranged from 0.3 to 52.6 (mmol)(microU)/L(2), with 25th percentile=1.5, median=2.2, 75th percentile=3.3, and mean+/-SD=2.8+/-2.4.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings describe the spectrum of insulin sensitivity and may be useful in helping physicians develop a clinical understanding of the dynamic range of both FPI and HOMA measures.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA. Dawn.Bravata@yale.edu
authors.forename: Dawn M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Bravata
authors.forename: Carolyn K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Concato
authors.forename: Walter N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Kernan
authors.forename: Lawrence M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Brass
authors.forename: Barbara I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Gulanski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin