Model-Based Assessment of Sex Differences in Glucose Effectiveness and Its Components

摘要

Sex differences may assume a key role in condition of impaired glucose metabolism and progression to type 2 diabetes, affecting insulin-dependent processes. However, the presence of sex differences in non-insulin-dependent processes (i.e. glucose effectiveness) has been scarcely investigated. The aim of this study was to detect the presence of sex differences in glucose effectiveness (S_G), as assessed by minimal model analysis, in subjects with different degrees of glucose metabolism impairment. Two groups of subjects ranging from normal (NGR, n = 57, males/females: 31/26) to abnormal glucose regulation (AGR, n = 115, males/females 42/73) underwent a 3-h frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test. Minimal model analysis provided S_G and its components at zero (GEZI) and at basal (BIE) insulin. Values for S_G were 2.52 ± 0.98 10~(-2) min~(-1) and 2.81 ± 1.07 10~(-2) min~(-1) for males and females in the NGR group, and 2.08 ± 1.21 10~(-2) min~(-1) and 2.09 ± 0.98 10~(-2) min~(-1) for males and females in the AGR group. No statistically significant difference was found between males and females in both NGR (p = 0.29) and AGR (p = 0.94) groups. Sex differences were not detected for GEZI, which provided the major contribution to S_G, either in NGR or AGR group. In conclusion, glucose effectiveness and its components seem to be not affected by sex differences in all glucose tolerance conditions.