Basal insulin levels in a Zulia State population in Venezuela

This study examines the basal insulin levels in a population from Zulia state (Venezuela). A total of 1703 subjects (1175 women and 528 men) from five different sanitary regions (Maracaibo, La Guajira, Perijá, Sur del Lago de Maracaibo, y Costa Oriental del Lago de Maracaibo) were studied. Weight, height, waist and hip circumferences, and blood pressure were determined. A blood sample was taken after a 12-h overnight fast to determine serum glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol and HDL-C using enzymatic methods and insulin by radioimmunoassay. According to ATP III criteria two groups were established: a group without metabolic abnormalities (138 subjects) and a group with some metabolic abnormalities 84.8% of subjects of the non metabolic alteration groups and 80.4% of the group with some metabolic alteration were of mixed race. Non metabolic altered lean subjects (BMI <25 Kg/m2) had the lowest (p < 0.0001) basal insulin levels compared to the ones with overweight from the same group and the obese with metabolic abnormalities. This study proposes to consider a cutoff basal insulin levels of 13 microU/mL for women and 11 microU/mL for men, over 20 years of age, in the Zulia state region of Venezuela.