Analysis of the degree of insulin resistance in post menopausal women by using skin temperature measurements and fasting insulin and fasting glucose levels: a case control study.
BACKGROUND
In addition to being associated with the termination of the reproductive life in women, menopause coincides with an increase in several co-morbidities which include insulin resistance. An increase in the insulin resistance is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and breast cancer.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze the degree of insulin resistance in post menopausal women by using skin temperature measurements and to confirm the insulin resistance from the fasting insulin and the fasting glucose levels.


METHODS
The insulin insensitivity was assessed by using skin temperature measurements and this was further proved by assessing the fasting insulin and the fasting glucose levels, and by incorporating the values for the Homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) and the Quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI).


METHODS
This was a case control study and the association was found by applying Fischer's exact test and the P value was estimated. The statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Student's t test was applied to determine the significant difference in the skin temperature measurements.


RESULTS
By using the HOMA index, only 15 subjects out of the 25 post menopausal women were identified to be insulin resistant. 11 of them were also identified by QUICKI. No premenopausal woman from the recruited population showed insulin resistance with the HOMA and the QUICKI indices. The skin temperature measurements showed significant correlations with the HOMA and the QUICKI indices. There was a significant decrease (p value < 0.0001) in the skin temperature in the postmenopausal women as compared to that in the premenopausal women. The mean ± SD was found to be 0.3834 ± 0.1666 in the premenopausal women, and it was 2.192 ± 3.943 in the postmenopausal women.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests a linear correlation between the skin temperature measurements and the insulin resistance. An increased prevalence of insulin resistance was seen in the postmenopausal women as compared to the premenopausal women.
Lecturer,  Department of Physiology, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (PSGIMS & R) ,  Coimbatore - 641 004, India.
Sathya Bhama
SB
C V
Balaji
B
S
Seethalakshmi
S
A
HOMA index; Insulin resistance; Menopause; QUICKI index; Skin temperature measurements