[Tests for evaluating insulin sensitivity in vivo].

Insulin resistance is a characteristic feature of different physiological states including puberty, pregnancy, elderly and is associated with numerous common medical disorders as obesity, diabetes mellitus type 2, hyperlipidaemia, essential hypertension. Tests used for estimation of insulin sensitivity in vivo can be divided into indirect tests measuring action of endogenous insulin, usually in response to a glucose stimulus, and direct tests measuring glucose metabolism in response to exogenous insulin. Indirect tests--oral glucose tolerance test, intravenous glucose tolerance test, minimal Bergmans method, continuous infusion of glucose with model assessment (CIGMA), hyperglycemic clamp and direct tests--intravenous insulin tolerance test, insulin suppression test, euglycemic clamp are described, and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed.