§ Glossary · analytical

HOMA-IR

A calculated index of insulin resistance from fasting glucose × fasting insulin.

HOMA-IR (Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance) = (fasting glucose mmol/L × fasting insulin µIU/mL) / 22.5. It estimates insulin resistance from a single fasting blood draw without requiring an oral glucose tolerance test. Validated against gold-standard euglycaemic clamp (correlation ~0.85+). Crucially, HOMA-IR can rise years before HbA1c moves out of normal range — a sensitive early-warning signal for the metabolic-syndrome trajectory that most GP panels miss because they don't include fasting insulin.

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