A major problem with the use of IR as a predictor or marker of disease is the lack of a simple, robust test that can be used to quantify this parameter in a wide variety of clinical situations. The current 'gold standard' methods for measuring insulin sensitivity, such as the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic (H-E) clamp, are complex, time consuming and costly. Alternative, simpler methods, such as the Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA-IR) score, may be less accurate and are not widely accepted.