Insulin resistance and its detection tools: A narrative review

Abstract

Insulin resistance (IR) is a defining feature of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, and it contributes to many of the metabolic syndrome's abnormalities. Although our understanding of IR has vastly increased over time, several parts of its assessment continue to elude researchers and doctors. Although the quantitative assessment of insulin sensitivity is not regularly utilized in biochemical investigations for diagnostic purposes, the growing importance of IR has led to further research into its application. IR must be assessed in a number of clinical situations when insulin sensitivity is reduced. IR is being studied more and more in numerous disease states to help researchers better understand its pathophysiology, etiology, and implications. The gold standard approach for determining insulin sensitivity is the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic glucose clamp, although it is impractical due to its labor- and time-intensive nature. As a result, a variety of surrogate indices have been used to make determining IR easier and more accurate. The goal of this study is to highlight different elements and approaches for present and future insulin sensitivity/resistance measurements. Understanding and exploiting the condition will be aided by a thorough understanding of these signs.