Abstract:Objective To study the effect of hypoxia on insulin resistance (IR) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods A total of 182 patients with T2DM first diagnosed in our hospital from January 2015 to March 2016 were enrolled to the study. Fasting plsama glucose (FPG), fasting insulin (Fins), hemoglobin (Hb), 2, 3-diphosphoglyceric acid (2, 3-DPG), hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and lactic acid level were detected, then insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and insulin sensitivity index (HOMA-IS) were calculated. Hypoxia and IR indicators were compared between metabolic syndrome (MS) group (n = 49) and non-MS group (n = 133). All cases were divided into three groups according to the tri-sectional quantiles of Hb level, then hypoxia and IR indicators were compared among them. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation of all indexes. Results The levels of FPG, FINS, HOMA-IR, Hb, HIF-1α and blood lactic acid in the MS group were significantly higher than those in the non-MS group, HOMA-IS was significantly lower than that in the non-MS group (P < 0.05). With the increase of Hb level, the levels of Fins, HOMA-IR, HIF-1α, 2, 3-DPG and lactic acid gradually increased (P < 0.05), while HOMA-IS gradually decreased (P < 0.05). HOMA-IR was positive correlated with Hb, HIF-1α,2, 3-DPG and blood lactic acid level (r = 0.197, 0.303, 0.136 and 0.153, P = 0.017, 0.000, 0.067 and 0.039), and HOMA-IS was negatively correlated with Hb, HIF-1α, 2, 3-DPG and blood lactic acid level (r = -0.197, -0.303, -0.136 and -0.153, P = 0.017, 0.000, 0.067 and 0.039). Conclusions Chronic hypoxia and IR exist in T2DM, and there is a close relationship between them. Chronic hypoxia may induce metabolic disturbance and accelerate IR.