ABSTRACT
Objective@#The aim of the study was to evaluate the beta cell function, insulin sensitivity and low grade systemic inflammation in different categories of glucose tolerance in Myanmar. @*Methodology@#A cross-sectional study was conducted on 202 Myanmar subjects of both sexes, aged between 45-65 years old. Fasting blood glucose, insulin, C-peptide and hs-CRP levels were measured. A 75g oral glucose tolerance test was performed. Insulin resistance and beta cell function were assessed by homeostasis-model-assessment (HOMA). @*Results@#The subjects were categorized as normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and diabetes mellitus (DM) according to WHO-2006 criteria. Fasting serum insulin, C-peptide and hs-CRP levels and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) progressively increased from NGT through prediabetes (IFG, IGT) to DM (p<0.01). Beta-cell function did not change significantly in any other group as compared to normal group. @*Conclusion@#After multivariate analysis, increases in fasting C-peptide, hs-CRP and HOMA-IR index were significantly associated with diabetes. It was also found that insulin resistance was a predominant feature in deterioration of the glucose tolerance in Myanmar subjects.