Abstract
Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus has become a universal problem. Globally 80% of lower and middle income countries are suffering from diabetes. Aims: To determine the levels of serum insulin and to assess the insulin resistance in the offspring of diabetic parents as the predicting factors of Type 2 diabetes.
Material and Methods: It is a cross-sectional study. The subjects were classified by their family history of T2DM; those with Single Diabetic Parent (SDP), Both Diabetic Parents (BDP) and No Diabetic Parents (NDP). Fasting blood sugar levels were determined by glucose oxidase and serum insulin by chemi luminescent immunometric assay. Insulin resistance was assessed by HOMA-IR index.
Results: Fasting glucose was within normal range. Mean values for fasting serum Insulin levels of three groups of subjects though fell within the normal range but the levels both in SDP and BDP were significantly higher (P 0.05) than NDP.
Conclusions: Hyperinsulinemia seems a predicting factor of T2DM in subjects who have a history of diabetes in parents.