Surrogate indexes vs. euglycaemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp as an indicator of insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese postmenopausal women.
BACKGROUND
There is considerable interest in validating the most convenient method to estimate insulin sensitivity in clinical research protocols that could best indicate cardiovascular risk factors. To address this issue we examined the interrelationships of several cardiovascular risk factors with surrogate indexes such as fasting insulin, the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA), the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) and the revised QUICKI vs the euglycaemic-hyperinsulinemic (EH) clamp in a non-diabetic overweight or obese postmenopausal female population.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study involving 88 obese postmenopausal women (age: 57.5+/-5.0 yrs; body mass index: 32.52+/-4.4 kg/m2; percent body fat: 46.35+/-4.9%).


METHODS
Insulin sensitivity was determined by the EH clamp technique as well as by surrogate indexes such as fasting insulin, HOMA, log HOMA, QUICKI and revised QUICKI. Body composition and body fat distribution were measured using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry and computed tomography, respectively.


RESULTS
Correlations between insulin resistance indexes (fasting insulin, revised QUICKI, QUICKI, log HOMA, HOMA) vs glucose disposal were similar (range of r's=0.40 to 0.49), suggesting that no index was superior to another with respect to its relationship with the EH clamp. Correlations between the insulin resistance indexes with plasma lipids were comparable among all indexes, however, systolic blood pressure, visceral fat and C-reactive protein were moderately superior with index vs the EH clamp.


CONCLUSIONS
Surrogate measures of insulin resistance, in particular fasting insulin, are simple tools appropriate for epidemiological studies that can be used as substitutes for the EH clamp to estimate glucose disposal and cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese postmenopausal women.
Malita
F M
FM
Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada, and INSERM U680, Faculté de Médecine Saint-Antoine et Service de Biochimie et Hormonologie, AP-HP, Hôpital Tenon, Paris, France.
Karelis
A D
AD
St-Pierre
D H
DH
Garrel
D
D
Bastard
J P
JP
Tardif
A
A
Prud'homme
D
D
Rabasa-Lhoret
R
R
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D015309:Glucose Clamp Technique; D006801:Humans; D006946:Hyperinsulinism / Q000097:blood; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D050177:Overweight; D017698:Postmenopause; D012307:Risk Factors
D015415:Biomarkers; D007328:Insulin