Evaluation of the predictive accuracy of QUICKI and McAuley indices for insulin resistance in adolescents: Insights from a cross-sectional study

by Miriam Mohatar-Barba, Ángel Fernández-Aparicio, Javier S. Perona, Jacqueline Schmidt-RioValle, Carmen Enrique-Mirón, Emilio González-Jiménez

Different indirect methods have been developed to assess insulin resistance (IR), though their validation has been limited to adult populations. In this sense, the study aim is to compare the predictive capacity of the McAuley, QUICKI, SPISE indices, and glucose-insulin ratio against insulin resistance (IR) in Spanish adolescents and to establish reliable cut-off values for these indices in this population. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 981 adolescents aged 11–16 years, from Southern Spain. Anthropometric measurements and fasting biochemical parameters, were assessed. IR indices, such as HOMA-IR, QUICKI, the McAuley index, SPISE, and the glucose-insulin ratio, were calculated. The ability of each index to predict IR was evaluated using multivariate regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Boys exhibited higher waist circumference, triglyceride levels, and fasting insulin levels, while girls had a higher percentage of body fat (p