"Clinical Use

Assess metabolic dysfunction and cardiometabolic risk

Clinical Background

In the context of aging and weight gain, individuals can develop insulin resistance (IR). IR is characterized by cells being less sensitive to the effects of insulin and not absorbing enough glucose from the bloodstream. Metabolic syndrome (MetS), which affects more than a third of adults in the United States,1 is a cluster of clinical features that reflect an underlying state of IR. IR and MetS can progress to type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD).2 Early identification of metabolic dysfunction leading to IR and MetS provides an opportunity for early intervention to prevent disease progression and associated complications.

One early indicator of metabolic dysfunction is excess insulin production, which reflects a developing IR state (Table 1).3,4 In response to reduced insulin sensitivity, pancreatic beta-cells may produce high levels of insulin to maintain normal levels of blood glucose. High levels of C-peptide, a byproduct of insulin processing, are also produced as insulin sensitivity decreases. By measuring combined serum levels of insulin and C-peptide, an ""IR score"" can be calculated that represents the likelihood of an individual having IR.3

Individuals with IR can subsequently develop prediabetes and diabetes, which is reflected in fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels (Table 1). In addition to its role in diagnosing diabetes and prediabetes, HbA1c measurement also improves risk prediction for diabetic progression compared with fasting plasma glucose and oral glucose tolerance tests, which measure glucose levels only in the short term.5 HbA1c assays more reliably estimate average glucose (eAG) levels over a longer term (2 to 3 months).6"

Methodology
Enzymatic

Reference Range(s)
<5.7 % of total hemoglobin

Alternative Name(s)
Hemoglobin A1c, Cardio IQ®,CardioIQ®