The single-point insulin sensitivity estimator (SPISE) index is a strong predictor of abnormal glucose metabolism in overweight/obese children: a long-term follow-up study

Purpose To investigate the relationship between the single-point insulin sensitivity estimator (SPISE) index, an insulin sensitivity indicator validated in adolescents and adults, and metabolic profile in overweight/obese children, and to evaluate whether basal SPISE is predictive of impaired glucose regulation (IGR) development later in life. Methods The SPISE index (= 600 × HDL0.185/Triglycerides0.2 × BMI1.338) was calculated in 909 overweight/obese children undergoing metabolic evaluations at University of Cagliari, Italy, and in 99 normal-weight, age-, sex-comparable children, selected as a reference group, together with other insulin-derived indicators of insulin sensitivity/resistance. 200 overweight/obese children were followed-up for 6.5 [3.5–10] years, data were used for longitudinal retrospective investigations. Results At baseline, 96/909 (11%) overweight/obese children had IGR; in this subgroup, SPISE was significantly lower than in normo-glycaemic youths (6.3 ± 1.7 vs. 7 ± 1.6, p p values p = 0.002; AUROC: 0.82(0.72–0.92), p Conclusion In children, low SPISE index is significantly associated with metabolic abnormalities and predicts the development of IGR in life.