What is the Origin of HOMA-IR Score?

The model was developed in the late 1980s by Matthews and colleagues as a simple, non-invasive method to assess insulin resistance in large epidemiological studies without requiring complex and expensive clamp techniques. The term's etymology is purely clinical and mathematical, derived from the metabolic model it represents. It has become a standard, accessible biomarker in preventative and metabolic health.

What is the Mechanism of HOMA-IR Score?

The score is calculated using a specific mathematical formula: Fasting Insulin (µU/mL) multiplied by Fasting Glucose (mmol/L), divided by a constant. Physiologically, it estimates the percentage of insulin resistance by assuming a feedback loop between insulin production and hepatic glucose output. When cells become resistant, the pancreas compensates by increasing insulin output, leading to elevated fasting insulin and a high HOMA-IR score, which signals a critical metabolic dysregulation.

HOMA-IR Score

Meaning

The HOMA-IR Score, an acronym for Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance, is a quantitative clinical tool used to estimate the degree of insulin resistance and beta-cell function from fasting glucose and insulin levels. It provides a single numerical index that reflects the complex interplay between the pancreas’s insulin secretion and the body’s cellular response to that insulin. A higher score indicates a greater degree of insulin resistance, a central driver of metabolic dysfunction and hormonal imbalance.