| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
Original Studies |
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan; Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Kiyose Hospital (K.O., M.S., F.N.), Tokyo 204-0023, Japan; and Stanford University School of Medicine (G.M.R.), Stanford, California 94305-5406
Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Akira Tanaka, M.D., Third Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan. address: tanaka.med3{at}med.tmd.ac.jp
| Abstract |
|---|
|
|
|---|
IRI) as a surrogate measure of insulin resistance
in 61 subjects with impaired glucose tolerance.
IRI was determined
on 2 occasions, before and 16 weeks after initiation of a diet and
exercise program. At baseline,
IRI correlated with the sum of the
plasma glucose concentrations in response to the 75-g oral glucose load
(r = 0.26; P < 0.04) as well as plasma
concentrations of triglyceride (r = 0.21; P =
0.09), RLP-cholesterol (r = 0.41; P < 0.001),
and RLP-triglyceride (r = 0.46; P < 0.001).
In contrast, neither total (r = 0.07) nor high density lipoprotein
(HDL) cholesterol (r = 0.04) concentrations correlated with
IRI.
IRI was lower in 42 subjects following life-style
intervention, associated with significant (P <
0.005) reductions in
glucose, and fasting glucose, insulin,
triglyceride, RLP-cholesterol, and RLP-triglyceride concentrations.
However, none of these variables decreased in the 19 subjects whose
IRI did not fall. Finally, the change in
IRI following
intervention with diet and exercise was significantly associated with
differences in
glucose (r = 0.63; P <
0.001) and fasting glucose (r = 0.26; P <
0.05), insulin (r = 0.79; P < 0.001), triglyceride
(r = 0.29; P < 0.03), RLP-cholesterol (r
= 0.71; P < 0.001), and RLP-triglyceride (r =
0.49; P < 0.001) concentrations. These results
demonstrate that variations in concentrations of RLPs are highly
correlated with changes in
IRI, consistent with the possibilities
that 1) RLP measurements are useful estimates of insulin resistance;
and 2) an increase in RLP concentrations may provide the mechanistic
link between insulin resistance and coronary heart disease. | Introduction |
|---|
|
|
|---|
| Subjects and Methods |
|---|
|
|
|---|
Blood samples were removed at the time of both OGTTs before and 30, 60,
90, 120, and 180 min after a 75-g oral glucose load for determination
of plasma glucose (19) and insulin (20) concentrations. The sum of
these six measurements of plasma glucose (
glucose) and insulin
(
IRI) concentrations were calculated, and this value was used for
all further data analyses.
In addition, the fasting blood samples were used for measurement of plasma cholesterol (21), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (22), and TG (23). Chylomicron and very low density lipoprotein remnant particles were isolated by an immunoseparation method using monoclonal antibodies to apolipoprotein A-1 (apoA-1) and apoB-100 that recognize TG-rich lipoproteins containing apoB-48 and a population of apoB-100 enriched in apoE. Briefly, plasma is added to an immunoaffinity gel suspension containing the two monoclonal antibodies, and the reaction mixture is shaken for 60 min at room temperature, then left to stand for 10 min. Aliquots of the supernatant are then used for the measurement of RLP-cholesterol and TG concentrations (13, 14, 15).
Results are expressed as the mean ± SEM. Changes
observed in response to the 16-week intervention period of diet and
exercise were evaluated by comparing the differences between values at
baseline and those at the end of the study using the Mann-Whitney
nonpaired rank test. Finally, correlation coefficients were determined
between
IRI and the other variables at baseline using Spearmans
correlation test as well as between the changes in the
IRI after the
interventions and changes in the other variables. In each analysis, NS
refers to P > 0.10.
| Results |
|---|
|
|
|---|
IRI) at baseline and
the other experimental variables. These results show that the greater
the
IRI, the older the subject (P < 0.05), and the
higher their concentrations of fasting and
glucose
(P < 0.05). In addition, fasting insulin
(P < 0.001), TG (P = 0.09),
RLP-cholesterol (P < 0.001), and RLP-TG
(P < 0.001) concentrations were significantly
correlated with
IRI.
|
IRI
increased or decreased. In 19 of the 61 volunteers,
IRI was higher
after the intervention, whereas it decreased in the remaining 42. It
should be noted that the ages of those in whom
IRI increased
(57 ± 2 yr) were similar to those of the individuals showing the
decrease in
IRI (57 ± 1 yr). Furthermore, the difference in
insulin response was unrelated to the amount of weight loss, which
averaged about 0.7 kg in both groups. In fact, about 80% of the
subjects in each group lost at least some weight in response to the
intervention. It can be seen from these results that the group with
lower
IRI after the period of intervention also had significant
(P < 0.001) decreases in the
glucose response, as
well as in fasting plasma glucose, insulin, TG, RLP-cholesterol,
and RLP-TG concentrations. In contrast, the values of all of these
variables increased in subjects in whom
IRI was also higher.
|
IRI and the other
variables, correlation coefficients (r) between changes
(
) in
IRI between the two glucose tolerance tests
(
IRI2 -
IRI1) were
correlated with changes (
) in the other measurements.
These results are shown in Table 3
IRI were significantly correlated with
those in the fasting plasma glucose concentration (P <
0.05) and the
glucose response (P < 0.001), with
those in fasting plasma insulin (P < 0.001) and TG
(P < 0.02) concentrations, as well with those in
RLP-cholesterol and RLP-TG concentrations (P <
0.001).
|
| Discussion |
|---|
|
|
|---|
Before discussing the physiological and clinical implications of our
findings, it would be useful to address the manner in which we have
used the sum of the insulin response to oral glucose, i.e.
IRI, as a surrogate measure of insulin resistance. We have assumed
that
IRI in nondiabetic individuals provides a reasonable estimate
of resistance to insulin-mediated glucose disposal by muscle, a view
supported by previous reports in which we observed correlation
coefficients of 0.75 and 0.81 between specific estimates of insulin
resistance and plasma insulin concentrations in 50 (24) and 62 (25)
nondiabetic individuals. More recently, in a study of 490 nondiabetic
volunteers (26), using a different method to measure insulin action, we
demonstrated a correlation coefficient of approximately 0.81 between
insulin-mediated glucose disposal and plasma insulin response to oral
glucose. Thus, our use of insulin response as an estimate of insulin
resistance seems reasonable.
In addition to serving as a surrogate marker of insulin resistance, the
change in IRI has been used as a dynamic index to define the degree to
which all of the measured variables are related. To accomplish this
goal, patients with IGT were enrolled in a diet and exercise program.
When studied 16 weeks later, 42 of the 61 subjects who finished the
program had a decrease in
IRI. In contrast, the
IRI was higher in
19 individuals. There were no obvious differences in the baseline
characteristics of these 2 groups. The average weight loss was also
similar in the 2 groups, and about 80% of the individuals in either
group lost weight. We can only speculate on why the responses of the 2
groups were so disparate, but the lack of an explanation does not
obviate our ability to use the individual changes in
IRI between the
studies to illuminate the relationship between insulin resistance and
related variables.
If we now focus attention on the relationship between the experimental
variables in all 61 subjects before any intervention, the results in
Table 1
clearly indicate that there were highly significant correlation
coefficients (P < 0.001) between
insulin and
fasting insulin and both RLP-cholesterol (r = 0.41) and RLP-TG
(r = 0.46) concentrations. In addition, correlations of a lesser
degree existed between
IRI and age (P < 0.04),
fasting plasma glucose (P < 0.05),
glucose
(P < 0.04), and plasma TG concentrations
(P < 0.09).
The results of the comparison between the changes in experimental
variables in those in whom
IRI decreased vs. those in
whom it increased were consistent with previous findings. Specifically,
the results in Table 2
show that a decrease in
IRI was associated
with a fall (P < 0.001) in
glucose as well as in
fasting plasma glucose, insulin, TG, RLP-cholesterol, and RLP-TG
concentrations. These results are quite consistent with well
established relationships between hyperinsulinemia and increased plasma
levels of glucose, TG, and RLPs (4, 5, 6, 7, 8). The only somewhat unexpected
finding was the lack of a significant difference between the changes in
HDL cholesterol concentration in the two groups.
Based upon the relationships noted in Tables 13![]()
![]()
, it appeared that the
variables most closely related to
IRI were the concentrations of
fasting plasma insulin, RLP-cholesterol, and RLP-TG. The fact that the
fasting plasma insulin concentration was highly correlated with the
plasma insulin response was to be expected, but we found somewhat
surprising the fact that the relationship between
IRI and
RLP-cholesterol concentration was of a similar magnitude. For example,
it can be seen from Table 3
that 62% (0.792) of
the variability in fasting plasma insulin concentration could be
attributed to the time-related change in
IRI seen after the
life-style intervention, a value very similar to the 50% variability
(0.712) in RLP-cholesterol concentration
associated with the change in
IRI. To put it more simply, these data
demonstrate that plasma concentrations of RLPs are closely related to
insulin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinemia, a conclusion
entirely consistent with previous reports of increased RLP
concentrations in insulin-resistant, nondiabetic individuals (16), and
patients with IGT and type 2 diabetes (17).
The implications of the strong association between hyperinsulinemia and RLP concentrations discerned in this study are 2-fold. It is impractical in large scale epidemiological studies to quantify insulin resistance in the population at large, and this is largely true of measuring the plasma glucose and/or insulin response to an oral glucose challenge. On the other hand, it appears that the RLP concentration is a more sensitive indicator of insulin resistance than is the glucose concentration and is comparable to the association between insulin resistance and plasma insulin concentration. Thus, it is possible that measurement of the fasting RLP concentration can serve as a surrogate estimate of the degree of insulin resistance in epidemiological studies comparable to that provided by determination of plasma insulin concentrations. Obviously, whether this is the case will depend upon the results of prospective studies evaluating the sensitivity and specificity of RLP as a surrogate measure of insulin resistance.
A second issue, and one of pathogenetic importance, is that
determination of the fasting RLP concentration provides more than a
surrogate estimate of insulin resistance. Arguments continue to exist
concerning the mechanistic link between plasma insulin concentrations
and CHD (27, 28, 29, 30). In contrast, evidence of the importance of
postprandial lipemia as a risk factor for CHD (9, 10, 11), the association
between insulin resistance and/or hyperinsulinemia and CHD (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8), and
the relationship between hyperinsulinemia and RLP concentration noted
in this and previous studies (16, 17) suggest that measurement of the
plasma RLP concentration provides both a sensitive estimate of insulin
resistance as well as a mechanistic explanation for the increase in CHD
described in insulin-resistant and/or hyperinsulinemic, nondiabetic
individuals. On the other hand, it should be emphasized that the
correlation coefficients in Tables 2
and 3
identify associations; they
do not necessarily define causality. However, evidence has been
presented indicating that the relationship between insulin resistance
and fasting RLP concentrations has been shown to be independent of
differences in age, gender, and body mass index (17). Whether insulin
resistance is the primary defect or whether insulin resistance,
hyperinsulinemia, and RLP concentrations are secondary to a more
fundamental abnormality remains to be decided.
Received February 8, 2000.
Revised July 3, 2000.
Accepted July 6, 2000.
| References |
|---|
|
|
|---|
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
T. McLaughlin, S. Carter, C. Lamendola, F. Abbasi, G. Yee, P. Schaaf, M. Basina, and G. Reaven Effects of moderate variations in macronutrient composition on weight loss and reduction in cardiovascular disease risk in obese, insulin-resistant adults. Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, October 1, 2006; 84(4): 813 - 821. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Ai, A. Tanaka, K. Ogita, and K. Shimokado Favorable Effects of Early Insulin Secretion by Nateglinide on Postprandial Hyperlipidemia in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Diabetes Care, May 1, 2006; 29(5): 1180 - 1180. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. W. Chu, F. Abbasi, K. R. Kulkarni, C. Lamendola, T. L. McLaughlin, J. N. Scalisi, and G. M. Reaven Multiple Lipoprotein Abnormalities Associated with Insulin Resistance in Healthy Volunteers Are Identified by the Vertical Auto Profile-II Methodology Clin. Chem., June 1, 2003; 49(6): 1014 - 1017. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Fukushima, A. Taniguchi, Y. Nakai, M. Sakai, K. Doi, K. Nin, T. Oguma, S. Nagasaka, K. Tokuyama, and Y. Seino Remnant-Like Particle Cholesterol and Insulin Resistance in Nonobese Nonhypertensive Japanese Glucose-Tolerant Relatives of Type 2 Diabetic Patients Diabetes Care, September 1, 2001; 24(9): 1691 - 1694. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| Endocrinology | Endocrine Reviews | J. Clin. End. & Metab. |
| Molecular Endocrinology | Recent Prog. Horm. Res. | All Endocrine Journals |