Clinica Chimica Acta 282 (1999) 115–123 Association between insulin resistance, body mass and neopterin concentrations a b b Maximilian Ledochowski , Christian Murr , Bernhard Widner , b, * Dietmar Fuchs a Department of Internal Medicine, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria b Institute for Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria Received 11 August 1998; received in revised form 4 January 1999; accepted 11 January 1999 Abstract Obesity is frequently associated with insulin resistance. Recently an important role of the cytokine tumor necrosis factor-a in mediating insulin resistance of obesity through its overexpres- sion in fat tissue has been reported. In order to examine the relation of insulin resistance to obesity and to serum neopterin, as a parameter of immune activation, we studied 1234 otherwise healthy outpatients, who visited the physician’s office for a medical health check-up. 7% showed elevated glucose concentrations, 34% elevated body mass indices. There were significant correlations between glucose concentrations and body mass indices and of the latter with serum neopterin concentrations. Neopterin concentrations were significantly higher in patients with elevated body mass indices (Mann-Whitney test, U 5 131 358, p 5 0.0003) and elevated glucose concentrations (Mann-Whitney test, U 5 35 350 p 5 0.02). The data may indicate that moderate immune stimulation plays a role in the development of insulin resistance, and an influence of tumor necrosis factor-a seems to be probable.  1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; Insulin resistance; Tumor necrosis factor-a; Interferon-g; Neopterin; Body mass *Corresponding author. Tel.: 1 43-512-507-3519; fax: 1 43-512-507-2865. E-mail address: dietmar.fuchs@uibk.ac.at (D. Fuchs) 0009-8981 / 99 / $ – see front matter  1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S0009-8981(99)00019-4