The relationship between insulin resistance and ion mobility lipoprotein fractions

Insulin resistance (IR) increases risk of type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and is associated with lipid and lipoprotein abnormalities including high triglycerides (TG) and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Lipoprotein size and lipoprotein subfractions (LS) have also been used to assist in identifying persons with IR. Associations of LS and IR have not been validated using both direct measures of IR and direct measures of LS. We assessed the usefulness of fasting lipoprotein subfractions (LS) by ion mobility to identify individuals with IR.

Lipid panel, LS by ion mobility (LS-IM), and IR by steady-state plasma glucose (SSPG) concentration were assessed in 526 adult volunteers without diabetes. IR was defined as being in the highest tertile of SSPG concentration. LS-IM score was calculated by linear combination of regression coefficients from a stepwise regression analysis with SSPG concentration as the dependent variable. Improvement in prediction of IR was evaluated after combining LS-IM score with TG/HDL-C, TG/HDL-C and BMI as well as with TG/HDL-C, BMI, sex, race and ethnicity. IR prediction was evaluated by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and positive predictive value (PPV) considering the highest 5% of scores as positive test.

Prediction of IR was similar by LS-IM score and TG/HDL-C (AUC=0.68; PPV=0.59 and AUC=0.70; PPV=0.59, respectively) and prediction was improved when LS-IM was combined with TG/HDL-C (AUC=0.73; PPV=0.70), TG/HDL-C and BMI (AUC=0.82; PPV=0.81) and with TG/HDL-C, BMI, sex, race and ethnicity (AUC=0.84; PPV=0.89).

For identifying individuals with IR, LS-IM score and TG/HDL-C are comparable and their combination further improves IR prediction by TG/HDL-C alone. Among patients who have undergone IM testing, the LS-IM score may assist prioritization of subjects for further evaluation and interventions to reduce IR.