Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)

The Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) is a mathematical formula used to estimate insulin sensitivity and pancreatic beta-cell function from fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations (Matthews et al., 1985, Diabetologia). It is not a therapeutic target such as a receptor or enzyme, but rather a clinical surrogate index used to quantify the level of insulin resistance in a patient (NIH, StatPearls). The model operates on the principle of a feedback loop between the liver and the pancreas, where hepatic glucose output is regulated by insulin and insulin secretion is stimulated by glucose levels. Elevated HOMA-IR values are strongly associated with the development of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease (American Diabetes Association). While drugs like metformin or thiazolidinediones may lower a patient's HOMA-IR score by improving insulin sensitivity at the molecular level, the index itself is a tool for assessment and monitoring rather than a site of direct pharmacological intervention.

Other names

HOMA-IRHomeostatic model assessmentHOMA1-IRInsulin resistance index

Not applicable as HOMA-IR is a diagnostic calculation, not a biological molecule.