Detection of insulin resistance in Turkish adults: a hospital-based study

The aim of the present study was to investigate the usefulness of insulin sensitivity check indices in our hospital population.

Both HOMA (insulin X glucose in mmol/l/22.5) and QUICKI (1/log insulin in microu/ml + log glucose in mg/dl) indices were calculated from fasting values in 1,774 subjects from the medical records of Baskent University Adana Hospital.

Subjects with diabetes, hyperlipidaemia and central obesity were characterized by significantly higher HOMA and lower QUICKI indices than those of healthy subjects. A fall in the QUICKI index (0.3469 +/- 0.028 in healthy subjects and 0.3247 +/- 0.025 in non-obese diabetics) as well as an increase in HOMA index (2.24 +/- 1.26 in healthy subjects and 3.59 +/- 2.08 in non-obese diabetics) corresponded to metabolic and clinical manifestations of insulin resistance in various groups of subjects. Age, low HDL cholesterol, male sex, type 2 DM and hypertension were independent risk factors for CAD. Age, male sex, waist circumference and CAD were found to be risk factors for hypertension. Fasting insulin and glucose levels contain sufficient information to assess insulin sensitivity over a wide range in a diverse population. The following can be accepted as mean values to assess insulin resistance in our hospital population: 0.3469 +/- 0.028 for the QUICKI index and 2.24 +/- 1.26 for the HOMA index

HOMA and QUICKI indices are simple and reproducible methods for determining insulin sensitivity in humans.