Predictors of insulin resistance in the obese with metabolic syndrome.

Eur J Intern Med · 2010

cross_sectional · Level IV

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: In the obese, the metabolic syndrome (MetS) is assumed to reflect insulin resistance. OBJECTIVE: To determine the predictors of insulin resistance in obese subjects with MetS. DESIGN: We used the 90th percentile of the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) to define insulin resistance in 4958 nondiabetic adults evaluated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 1999-2004, and compared the 373 obese subjects who were insulin-resistant (HOMA 9.52+/-5.73) to a control group of 373 obese who had the highest sensitivity to insulin (HOMA 1.79+/-0.44). MEASUREMENTS: MetS was present in 312 (83.6%) obese with insulin resistance and in 156 (41.8%) obese from the insulin-sensitive control group. Demographic, metabolic, and lifestyle variables were analyzed with logistic regression. RESULTS: In a logistic model of insulin resistance given the presence of MetS, the significant predictors were triglycerides (P=0.0021), body mass index (P=0.0096), HDL-cholesterol (P=0.0098), age (P=0.0242) and smoking (P=0.0366). LIMITATIONS: Cross-sectional design prevents elucidation of causality for the association between insulin resistance and MetS. CONCLUSIONS: Insulin resistance is not an obligatory correlate of MetS in the obese. Its likelihood can be predicted by cigarette smoking and by the severity of obesity and dyslipidemia.