Fig. 5

Central Illustration: Early insulin resistance and subclinical atherosclerosis. This study examined 3,741 individuals with normal HbA1c < 6.0% <42 mmol/mol) and no known cardiovascular disease. Higher homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) values were associated with higher subclinical atherosclerosis (SA) burden as measured by extensive imaging after adjusting for traditional CVRFs and HbA1c. The HOMA-IR index offers a simple and cost-effective way to detect the onset of insulin resistance and SA and could be used to support the implementation of early prevention strategies in clinical practice. 2DVUS, 2-dimensional vascular ultrasound; 3DVUS, 3-dimensional vascular ultrasound; CACS, coronary artery calcium score; IGT, impaired glucose tolerance; IFG, impaired fasting glucose