Association between lipid ratios and insulin resistance in a Chinese population

PLoS One. 2015 Jan 30;10(1):e0116110. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116110. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Aim: To explore the association of lipid ratios and triglyceride (TG) with insulin resistance (IR) in a Chinese population. We also provide the clinical utility of lipid ratios to identify men and women with IR.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 614 men and 1055 women without diabetes. Insulin resistance was defined by homeostatic model assessment of IR > 2.69. Lipid ratios included the TG/ high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), the total cholesterol (TC)/HDL-C and the low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)/HDL -C. Logistic regression models and accurate estimates of the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves were obtained.

Results: In normal-weight men, none of lipid ratios nor TG was associated with IR. In overweight/obese men, normal-weight women and overweight/obese women, the TG/HDL-C, the TC/HDL-C and TG were significantly associated with IR, and the associations were independent of waist circumference. All of the AUROCs for the TG/HDL-C and TG were > 0.7. The AUROCs for TC/HDL-C ratio were 0.69-0.77. The optimal cut-offs for TG/HDL-C were 1.51 in men and 0.84 in women. The optimal cut-offs for TG were 1.78 mmol/L in men and 1.49 mmol/L in women, respectively. In men, the optimal cut-off for LDL-C/HDL-C is 3.80. In women, the optimal cut-off for LDL-C/HDL-C is 3.82.

Conclusion: The TG/HDL-C, the TC/HDL-C and TG are associated with IR in overweight/obese men, normal-weight and overweight/obese women. The LDL-C/HDL-C is only associated with IR in normal-weight women. The TG/HDL-C and TG might be used as surrogate markers for assessing IR.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Area Under Curve
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Case-Control Studies
  • China
  • Cholesterol, HDL / blood*
  • Cholesterol, LDL / blood*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / blood
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Insulin Resistance*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Obesity / blood
  • ROC Curve

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Cholesterol, HDL
  • Cholesterol, LDL

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the following Science Foundations: 1. EU FP7 Program, UroSense, 2011; 2. ISN Research Committee grant, 2007; 3. ISN Research Committee grant, 2004; 4. Guangdong Provincial Science and Technique Program (No. 2011B031800386), 2011. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.