e-Pakiet insulinooporność — Insulin Resistance Panel

Metabolic panel with 10 markers specifically designed to detect insulin resistance and pre-diabetes — fasting glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR calculation, HbA1c, full lipidogram, ALT, and TSH. At 329 PLN (~76 EUR) with blood draw included. Identifies metabolic dysfunction years before diabetes diagnosis.

Insulin resistance is the pathophysiological foundation of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This panel provides the biomarkers needed to detect and quantify insulin resistance at its earliest, most treatable stage — often 5-10 years before fasting glucose rises above the diabetic threshold. The centrepiece is the combination of fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR (Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance). HOMA-IR is calculated as (fasting glucose x fasting insulin) / 405 (in conventional units). A HOMA-IR above 2.5 indicates insulin resistance; above 5.0 suggests significant resistance. This calculation reveals metabolic dysfunction that fasting glucose alone misses — a patient can have normal fasting glucose (below 5.6 mmol/L) but markedly elevated insulin, indicating that the pancreas is compensating by overproducing insulin to maintain normal glucose levels. This compensated state eventually fails, producing the sequence: insulin resistance → impaired fasting glucose → impaired glucose tolerance → type 2 diabetes. HbA1c provides a 2-3 month glucose average. Values between 5.7-6.4% (39-47 mmol/mol) identify pre-diabetes, where lifestyle intervention (weight loss, exercise, dietary modification) reduces progression to diabetes by 58%. HbA1c above 6.5% is diagnostic of diabetes. The full lipidogram is included because dyslipidaemia is a hallmark of insulin resistance. The characteristic pattern is elevated triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, and small dense LDL particles — even when total and LDL cholesterol appear normal. A triglyceride:HDL ratio above 3.0 (in mg/dL units) is a simple but powerful marker of insulin resistance. ALT (alanine aminotransferase) screens for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is present in approximately 70-80% of patients with insulin resistance. NAFLD can progress to steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis. TSH screens for hypothyroidism, which can mimic or exacerbate metabolic symptoms (weight gain, fatigue, dyslipidaemia). At 329 PLN with blood draw included, this panel provides comprehensive metabolic assessment. A German endocrinologist would typically charge 200-400 EUR for equivalent testing. The panel is particularly relevant for patients with PCOS, family history of type 2 diabetes, central obesity, or unexplained fatigue and weight gain.