e-Pakiet insulinooporność — Insulin Resistance Panel

Metabolic panel with 10 markers targeting insulin resistance and pre-diabetes — fasting glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, HbA1c, full lipid profile, ALT, and TSH. At 329 PLN (~76 EUR) with blood draw included. Catches metabolic dysfunction years before a diabetes diagnosis.

Insulin resistance underpins type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and polycystic ovary syndrome. This panel detects and quantifies resistance at its earliest treatable stage — typically 5-10 years before fasting glucose crosses the diabetic threshold. The diagnostic core combines fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and the HOMA-IR calculation [(glucose × insulin) / 405 in conventional units]. HOMA-IR above 2.5 signals insulin resistance; above 5.0 indicates significant metabolic dysfunction. The critical insight is that glucose can remain normal while insulin is markedly elevated — the pancreas overproduces to compensate. This compensated state is invisible to glucose-only screening but clearly revealed by paired insulin measurement. The progression from resistance through impaired fasting glucose to overt diabetes follows a predictable trajectory that early detection can interrupt. HbA1c averages glucose exposure over 8-12 weeks. Values of 5.7-6.4% (39-47 mmol/mol) define pre-diabetes — a stage where structured lifestyle intervention reduces diabetes progression by 58%. HbA1c above 6.5% is diagnostic. The full lipidogram is included because dyslipidaemia characterises insulin resistance. The hallmark pattern — elevated triglycerides, depressed HDL, small dense LDL particles — often appears even when total and LDL cholesterol seem acceptable. A triglyceride-to-HDL ratio exceeding 3.0 (mg/dL units) is a practical insulin resistance marker. ALT screens for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, present in 70-80% of insulin-resistant individuals. NAFLD can progress to steatohepatitis and cirrhosis. TSH screens for hypothyroidism, which mimics or worsens metabolic symptoms including weight gain, fatigue, and dyslipidaemia. This panel is particularly relevant for individuals with PCOS, family history of diabetes, central adiposity, or unexplained fatigue. At 329 PLN in Krakow versus 200-400 EUR at a German endocrinology practice, the economics strongly favour cross-border testing.