ABSTRACT
To determine insulin resistance in human subjects having impaired glucose regulation [IGR] by Homeostasis Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance [HOMA-IR]. Comparative cross-sectional study. This study was carried out between September 2004 to September 2005, at the Department of Chemical Pathology and Clinical Endocrinology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology [AFIP], Rawalpindi. A total of 100 subjects with impaired glucose regulation were selected for evaluation of metabolic syndrome as per the criteria of National Cholesterol Education Program, Adult Treatment Panel III [NCEP, ATP III], along with 47 healthy age and gender-matched controls. Physical examination to determine blood pressure and waist circumference was carried out and so was sampling for plasma glucose, serum triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol and insulin. Insulin resistance was calculated by the HOMA-IR. Finally, subjects with and without metabolic syndrome were compared with controls [n=47], using one-way ANOVA for studying insulin resistance between groups, with Tukey's post-hoc comparison. The frequency of finding metabolic syndrome in cases of IGR remained 47%. The insulin resistance demonstrated stepwise worsening from control population [mean=1.54, 95% Cl: 1.77 - 2.37] to subjects suffering from only IGR [mean=2.07, 95% Cl: 1.77- 2.37] to metabolic syndrome [mean= 2.67, 95%, Cl: 2.34 - 3.00] [p < 0.001]. Patients with impaired glucose regulation may have significant insulin resistance. It is, thus, recommended that a vigorous search be made to measure insulin resistance in all cases diagnosed to have impaired glucose regulation