A Brief Review of Commonly Used Indices for the Assessment of Insulin Sensitivity and Resistance

Abstract

Insulin resistance (IR) results when the response to the physiological actions of insulin is reduced. Approximately, 45% of adults around the world have some degree of IR. This reduced responsiveness to insulin action leads to a variety of clinical conditions like metabolic syndrome which includes a group of deranged clinical and biochemical profile including increased body weight, elevated blood pressure, an abnormal lipid panel, and intolerance to glucose. The hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp (HEC) remains the gold standard technique but it is cumbersome, costly, time consuming, and liable for operator errors.   Hence, different indices assessing insulin sensitivity were introduced.  Some of these indices can, in part, be calculated utilizing fasting levels of insulin and glucose whereas others are calculated following performing metabolically provocative tests like the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). This article will review different techniques and parameters that are currently being used for the assessment if insulin sensitivity and resistance.