Results of study on insulin-resistance breath test are published

Edmonton, AB – January 28, 2004 – Results from a study on a breath test developed to measure insulin resistance are published in the current issue of Diabetes Care.

The study was performed by Drs Richard Z Lewanczuk, Breay W Paty and Ellen L Toth from the division of endocrinology, University of Alberta, and included a total of 26 subjects with varying degrees of insulin resistance. The subjects underwent both the breath test, called Diatest, and the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, the gold standard method used in the measurement of insulin resistance.

“We know that type-2 diabetes is preceded by a period of insulin resistance, and recent studies suggest that insulin resistance itself can lead to cardiovascular disease,” says Dr Richard Lewanczuk, director, division of endocrinology and metabolism at the University of Alberta. “Additionally, the current popularity and success of low-carbohydrate diets may be linked to insulin resistance, particularly in middle-aged, overweight patients.”

“This study provides the necessary validation to start manufacturing the Diatest which is expected to be made available to primary care physicians in Canada by late 2004,” says Joseph Koziak, executive vice president of biopharmaceutical company Isotechnika, the test’s manufacturer. “Furthermore, potential collaborations to bring the Diatest to market in the United States are underway.”