title: Measurement of insulin action: a tribute to Sir Harold Himsworth.
abstract: Sir Harold Himsworth was a renowned clinician and researcher. Among his myriad of accomplishments, he was the first to differentiate diabetes mellitus into 'insulin-sensitive' and 'insulin-insensitive' forms. To help distinguish these two types, he developed the first test to measure insulin sensitivity, the insulin-glucose test. This article reviews Himsworth's pioneer methods and subsequent advances in the measurement of insulin action. The advantages and limitations of commonly used methods to assess insulin sensitivity are also examined.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Gerontology and Metabolism, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5103, USA. sunhkim@stanford.edu
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000266:history / Q000378:metabolism*; D015309:Glucose Clamp Technique / Q000266:history; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose