Multidimensional Classification of Insulin Resistance (MCIR) Focused on Therapeutic Targets and Interventions—A Comprehensive Review

Insulin resistance (IR) is a common medical condition that plays a crucial role in the development of numerous diseases. Even though its overall mechanism is fairly simple and involves an insufficient response of tissues to insulin signaling resulting in increased hepatic glucose production, the condition’s presentation and etiology are complex enough to warrant a broad review and re-classification. The aim of this study was to review the current scientific consensus concerning IR and its various manifestations and, based on the conclusions, create a comprehensive classification that would be focused on therapeutic aims and interventions catered to the various types of the condition. Using the available literature data, the existing approaches have been critically reviewed and collated into a novel classification of types of insulin resistance, named the Multidimensional Classification of Insulin Resistance (MCIR). As the review and the MCIR based on it provide useful insight into the biological phenomena involved in IR and clarify which therapeutic approaches and interventions are indicated for different types of IR, the results of this study should prove useful in clinical contexts. Further research into the condition is warranted because, despite its high prevalence, IR remains characterized by substantial empirical uncertainty, with various approaches and concepts often developing independently with insufficient overlap and consistency.