Insulin resistance in adult primary care patients with a surrogate index, Guadalajara, Mexico, 2012

Abstract

Introduction: Insulin resistance (IR) is a key molecular disorder related with diabetes mellitus, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. The objective of this study was to determine IR in adult primary care patients using the triglyceride/glucose (TyG) index [(Ln TG (mg/dL) × FG (mg/dL))/2].

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional secondary analysis and identified IR subjects according to the TyG index.

Results: There were 1500 patients included. Significant differences were found between the IR group versus the insulin-sensitive group, respectively: age (in years), 46.4 ± 9.34 versus 40.24 ± 11.27 (P < 0.001); fasting glucose (mg/dL), 99.87 ± 11.95 versus 84.62 ± 6.59 (P < 0.001); total cholesterol (mg/dL), 203.21 ± 37.38 versus 173.91 ± 33.99 (P < 0.001); triglycerides (mg/dL), 226.40 ± 96.66 versus 111.27 ± 23.44 (P < 0.001); uric acid (mg/dL), 6.09 ± 1.59 versus 4.77 ± 1.40 (P < 0.001); and TyG index, 4.96 ± 0.21 versus 4.48 ± 0.13 (P < 0.001). The cutoff of the TyG index for IR was 4.68 or greater.

Conclusions: The TyG index allows for early diagnosis of IR in primary health care.

FIGURE 1

Flow chart of study subjects on laboratory databases to determine IR in adult primary care patients with a surrogate index (n = 1500), Guadalajara, Mexico 2012.