Abstract: Objective To observe the insulin resistance(IR) changes in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD), and to investigate the relationship between IR and NAFLD. Methods Experimental animal models of NAFLD were established, which were treated with insulin sensitizer-Metformin and Rosiglitazone. Fasting blood glucose and fasting insulin were tested by the end of the second week, fourth, sixth and eighth week. Insulin resistance index and insulin sensitivity index were calculated. Results There wasn't a significant difference between the fasting blood glucose of each group by the end of week four, NAFLD was formed in model group and treatment group. In the first two weeks, IR was not found in the model group. But by the end of the fourth week, sustained peripheral IR was found in this group. IR was not found in the treatment group in the first four weeks, but the results in the end of sixth week and eighth week showed that sustained IR was found in this group. Conclusion IR is not the (only) factor in forming NAFLD, maybe it is the result of NAFLD. The function of Insulin sensitizer is not reliable to pathological changes in liver, the drug can not prevent the formation of NAFLD. These results require further in-depth clinical and experimental research.

Key words: non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, insulin resistance