title: Association between triglyceride to HDL-C ratio and insulin resistance in indigenous Argentinean children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Insulin resistance is considered one of the major risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Thus, early identification, preferably by using simple and inexpensive diagnostic tools, is essential for preventing T2DM. Triglyceride (TG) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio (TG/HDL-C) has been proposed as an inexpensive tool to identify individuals at high risk of T2DM. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between insulin resistance and TG/HDL-C in indigenous Argentinean children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of 501 (243 boys) indigenous school children aged 10.0 ± 2.4 yr were assessed for anthropometry, lipids, glucose, and insulin levels from November 2011 to November 2013. Insulin resistance was defined as the upper third quartile of homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of overweight/obesity was 11.4% per Centers for Disease Control. Mean levels of various characteristics were: body mass index (BMI) 17.2 ± 2.6, HDL-C 39 ± 9 mg/dL, TGs 121 ± 58 mg/dL, TG/HDL-C 2.9 ± 1.8, glucose 77 ± 8 mg/dL, HOMA-IR 1.0 ± 0.8, and insulin 44 ± 9 mUI/L. Children in the higher quartiles of TG/HDL-C had significantly higher HOMA-IR values than children in the lower quartiles. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that TG/HDL-C was significantly associated with HOMA-IR (r² = 0.19) adjusted for age, gender, and BMI. Furthermore, for a 1-unit increase in log TG/HDL-C, the odds of being insulin resistant (HOMA-IR>III quartile) increased by 2.58 times [odds ratio (OR), 2.58 (1.63-4.05); p < 0.01], adjusted for age, gender, and BMI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that TG/HDL-C may be a good marker to identify insulin resistant indigenous Argentinean children.
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hirschler
authors.affiliation: Hidalgo Laboratories, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maccallini
authors.affiliation: Hidalgo Laboratories, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Molinari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001118:Argentina / Q000208:ethnology; D002648:Child; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: TG/HDL-C; indigenous children; insulin resistance