How to Calculate the HOMA-IR

Reliable yet inexpensive, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) is used in clinical diabetes research to measure insulin sensitivity. The HOMA-IR value is the product of the patient's blood glucose and insulin serum levels after fasting, divided by a constant value. The calculation helps correct for the effects of fasting hyperglycemia (high blood sugar).

Things You'll Need

• Fasting plasma insulin test results
• Fasting serum glucose test results

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Instructions

• 1

  Determine the patient's fasting plasma insulin level from the printed test results, in μU/ml. The "U" unit is the standard measurement for insulin in biochemistry, referring to a single active unit of the insulin hormone.

• 2

  Determine the patient's fasting serum glucose level from the printed test results, in mg/dL. One deciliter (dL) is equal to 0.1 liters.

• 3

  Multiply the result from Step 1 by the result from Step 2.

• 4

  Divide by 405. The result is the patient's HOMA-IR value.