Two measures of insulin sensitivity provided similar information in a U.S. population

Bravata, Dawn M.; Wells, Carolyn K.; Concato, John; Kernan, Walter N.; Brass, Lawrence M.; Gulanski, Barbara I.

doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2004.05.001

« Previous Next »Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
Volume 57, Issue 11 , Pages 1214-1217, November 2004

Two measures of insulin sensitivity provided similar information in a U.S. population

Dawn M. Bravata
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Medicine Service, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, Room IE-61 SHM, New Haven, CT 06520-8025, USA
- Corresponding author. Tel.: 203-932-5711 ext. 4240; fax: 203-785-3461.
Carolyn K. Wells
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, Room IE-61 SHM, New Haven, CT 06520-8025, USA
John Concato
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Medicine Service, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, Room IE-61 SHM, New Haven, CT 06520-8025, USA
Walter N. Kernan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, Room IE-61 SHM, New Haven, CT 06520-8025, USA
Lawrence M. Brass
- Neurology Service, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
Barbara I. Gulanski
- Medicine Service, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, Room IE-61 SHM, New Haven, CT 06520-8025, USA

Accepted 3 May 2004.

Abstract

Background and objective

Two methods for measuring insulin sensitivity, fasting plasma insulin (FPI) and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) have been proposed for use in large epidemiological research and clinical practice. This project describes the range of observed values of the HOMA and FPI in a large sample of the U.S. population.

Methods

We used fasting plasma glucose and insulin values from the Third National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES III) to identify the FPI and HOMA values. For both FPI and HOMA, higher values indicate lower insulin sensitivity.

Results

Among 6,511 participants without treated diabetes mellitus, FPI ranged from 1.8 to 175.8 μU/mL, with 25th percentile=6.7, median=9.3, 75th percentile=13.3, and mean±1 SD=11.2±7.5; HOMA ranged from 0.3 to 52.6 (mmol)(μU)/L², with 25th percentile=1.5, median=2.2, 75th percentile=3.3, and mean±SD=2.8±2.4.

Conclusion

These findings describe the spectrum of insulin sensitivity and may be useful in helping physicians develop a clinical understanding of the dynamic range of both FPI and HOMA measures.

Keywords: Insulin resistance, Fasting plasma insulin, Homeostasis model assessment, NHANES III