Resumen

LA CORTE, Andreina et al. Índices de sensibilidad insulínica (HOMA y QUICKI) en escolares y adolescentes sanos en Valera, estado Trujillo, Venezuela. Arch Venez Puer Ped [online]. 2008, vol.71, n.3, pp.74-78. ISSN 0004-0649.

Introduction: Insulin resistance contributes to the physiopathology of diabetes and is the previous step to obesity, metabolic syndrome and many cardiovascular diseases; therefore the importance of its early detection. Objective: to evaluate the degree of insulin sensitivity by means of the indexes HOMA and QUICKI and the association with some biological variables (age, gender, nutritional state). Methods: the study is descriptive, of transverse cut type an d included children and adolescents between 6 and 18 years. Body Mass Index was calculated and the categorization was performed by Fundacredesa's charts. Glucose and insulin were measured in blood. Basal insulin sensitivity was calculated by means of the indexes HOMA, [blood fasting sugar (mmol/l) x fasting insulin (mU/l)] / 22, 5 and QUICKI (1 / (Log fasting blood sugar (mg/dl) + Log fasting blood insulin (μU/ml). Descriptive statistics were calculated and differences were studied by means of the test X², considering as significant, values under 0,05. Results: there were 269 children with normal weight (84,5 %), 29 were overweight (9, 11 %) and 20 were obese (6, 28%). There was no significant association between insulin sensitivity and nutritional state. There were significant differences in fasting blood sugar between normal and overweight children and adolescents (p<0,001) Conclusion: there were neither children nor adolescents with insulin resistance The HOMA index reached a value of 1 and the QUICKI index was near 0,40 independently of the nutritional state.

Palabras clave : Insulin; HOMA; QUICKI; children; adolescents.