Related Articles

Objective

To evaluate racial/ethnic and sex differences in the relationship between metabolic syndrome (MetS) diagnosis and fasting insulin among adolescents.

Study design

We analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Evaluation Survey 1999–2008 for 3,693 non-Hispanic-white, non-Hispanic-black and Hispanic adolescents (12–19y). We used linear regression to evaluate differences in fasting insulin between those with and without an adolescent adaptation of ATPIII-MetS in a sex- and race/ethnicity-specific basis.

Results

Females had higher insulin levels than males and non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics had higher levels than non-Hispanic whites. Adolescents with MetS had higher insulin levels than those without MetS. The difference in insulin levels between those with and without MetS was greater among non-Hispanic blacks compared with non-Hispanic whites (p<0.05) but not Hispanics (p=0.10). The sensitivity of MetS for detecting elevated insulin levels was lower among non-Hispanic blacks and females compared with other ethnicities and males, respectively. Correlations between insulin and individual MetS components were similar among ethnicities.

Conclusion

MetS diagnosis performed more poorly in predicting elevated insulin levels among non-Hispanic blacks and among females. These data support the hypothesis that non-Hispanic blacks do not meet current criteria for MetS until they have reached a more advanced degree of insulin resistance.

Background

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) concept is widely used in public health and clinical settings without an agreed pathophysiology. We have re-examined the MetS in terms of body fuels, so as to provide a coherent cross-cultural pathogenesis.

Methods

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2001-2) with n = 2254 and Taiwanese National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) sub-set for hypertension, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia assessment (TwSHHH 2002), n = 5786, were used to compare different ethnicities according to NCEP-ATPIII (NCEP-tw) criteria for METS. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using principal components (PC) was employed to differentiate and unify MetS components across four ethnicities, gender, age-strata, and urban-rural settings.

Results

The first two factors from the PC analysis (PCA) accounted for from 55.2% (non-Hispanic white) to 63.7% (Taiwanese) of the variance. Rotated factor loadings showed that the six MetS components provided three clusters: the impaired energy regulation (IER) components (waist circumference, WC, fasting triglycerides, TG, and fasting plasma glucose, FPG), systolic and diastolic blood pressures (BPs), and HDL-cholesterol, where the IER components accounted for 25-26% of total variance of MetS components. For the three US ethnic subgroups, factor 1 was mainly determined by IER and HDL-cholesterol, and factor 2 was related to the BP components. For Taiwanese, IER was determinant for both factors, and BPs and HDL-cholesterol were related to factors 1 and 2 respectively.

Conclusions

There is a MetS core which unifies populations. It comprises WC, TG and FPG as a core, IER, which may be expressed and modulated in various second order ways.

South Asia is home to one of the largest population of people with metabolic syndrome (MetS). The prevalence of MetS in South Asians varies according to region, extent of urbanization, lifestyle patterns, and socioeconomic/cultural factors. Recent data show that about one-third of the urban population in large cities in India has the MetS. All classical risk factors comprising the MetS are prevalent in Asian Indians residing in India. The higher risk in this ethnic population necessitated a lowering of the cut-off values of the risk factors to identify and intervene for the MetS to prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Some pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions are underway in MetS to assess the efficacy in preventing the diabetes and cardiovascular disease in this ethnic population.

Rationale: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) affects 4 to 10% of adolescents. Risk factors include overweight, male sex, and Hispanic ethnicity. Although sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) has been implicated as a risk factor for MetS in adults, its association with SDB in adolescents is unknown.

Objectives: To define the association of SDB with MetS in adolescents.

Methods: Standardized measurements of SDB, anthropometry and bioassays, were made in 270 adolescents, aged 13.6 ± 0.7 years. MetS was identified if threshold levels were exceeded in three of five areas: waist circumference, blood pressure, triglyceride level, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, and glucose levels.

Measurements and Main Results: Although 70% of children with SDB (apnea–hypopnea index ⩾ 5) were overweight and 59% had MetS, 16% of children without SDB had MetS. Twenty-five percent of those with MetS had SDB. After adjusting for age, race, sex, and preterm status, children with SDB had a 6.49 (95% confidence interval, 2.52, 16.70) increased odds of MetS compared with children without SDB. Indices of SDB stress associated with MetS included respiratory event frequency, degree of oxygen desaturation, and sleep efficiency. Analyses of individual metabolic parameters showed that, after adjustment for body mass index, SDB was associated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and fasting insulin levels.

Conclusions: A majority of adolescents with SDB are overweight and meet criteria for MetS. The close association between MetS and SDB and their putative interacting pathophysiologies suggests a need to develop screening, prevention, and treatment strategies for both disorders in high-risk, overweight adolescents.

OBJECTIVE

Whereas it is known that the metabolic syndrome (MetS) has a paradoxically lower prevalence in non–Hispanic black adolescents than in non–Hispanic whites or Hispanics, the relative severity of MetS by race/ethnicity is unknown. Inflammation, indicated by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), is a key factor linking MetS to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Our goal was to determine whether elevations of hsCRP vary by race/ethnicity among adolescents with MetS.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2008) and evaluated adolescents (age 12–19 years) using a pediatric/adolescent adaptation of the ATP III definition of MetS. We used linear regression to evaluate the interaction between MetS status and ethnicity with respect to hsCRP concentration.

RESULTS

For male and female adolescents, MetS was associated with elevated hsCRP levels compared with adolescents without MetS. However, the elevation in hsCRP between adolescents with and without MetS was greater in non–Hispanic blacks compared with that in non–Hispanic whites (P = 0.04) but not that in Hispanics (P = 0.18). hsCRP concentrations correlated with individual MetS components similarly among all ethnicities. In an evaluation of adolescents diagnosed with MetS, non–Hispanic blacks had higher BMI and more hypertension than other ethnicities but there were no other racial/ethnic differences in the features of MetS.

CONCLUSIONS

Non–Hispanic black adolescents have a greater differential in hsCRP between those with and those without MetS than the differential in non–Hispanic whites but not that in Hispanics. Therefore, even though MetS has a low prevalence in non–Hispanic blacks, MetS is a particularly good indicator of inflammation in non–Hispanic black adolescents.

The metabolic changes present in the metabolic syndrome (MetS) have been associated with increased risk of pancreatic and colon cancers; however, there is little information about the association between MetS and cervical cancer risk. We performed a case-control study using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1999–2010. We identified women 21 years of age and older, of which an estimated 585,924 (2.3% of the sample) self-reported a history of cervical cancer (cases). About half (48.6%) of cases and 33.2% of controls met criteria for MetS. Logistic regression analysis showed increased odds of history of cervical cancer among women with MetS (OR = 1.9; 95% CI 1.06, 3.42; P value ≤ 0.05) for the risk of history of cervical cancer among women with MetS while adjusting for other known risk factors (high number of lifetime sexual partners, multiparty, history of hormonal contraceptive use, and history of smoking) (AOR = 1.82; 95% CI 1.02, 3.26; P value ≤ 0.05). In this US surveyed population we found increased odds of history of cervical cancer among subjects with MetS.

Purpose

This study tests hypotheses of one-, two-, three-, and four-factor models of metabolic syndrome (MetS) components and assesses the consistency and fit of the factor models ten years later using confirmatory factor analysis in a large biracial sample of men and women.

Methods

Using data from the baseline and year-10 exams of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study, confirmatory factor analysis was performed overall and for race-sex specific groups for one-, two-, three-, and four-factor MetS models in 3,403 White and Black, men and women at baseline and 2,532, ten years later. Metabolic risk variables used in the factor analysis were insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), fasting glucose, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, triceps skin-folds, and uric acid.

Results

Three- and four-factor models of MetS achieved excellent fits of the data, ranging from 0.92 to 0.96, for race-sex specific models and from the baseline to year-10 exams.

Conclusions

The results suggest that MetS factors are consistent across time and race-sex groups. When investigating the MetS, it is necessary to evaluate race-sex groups.

Background

Evaluation of metabolic syndrome (MetS) characteristics across an age spectrum from childhood to adulthood has been limited by a lack of consistent MetS criteria for children and adults and by a lack of adjustment for environmental factors. We used the pediatric and adult International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria to determine whether gender- and race-specific differences in MetS and its components are present in adolescents as in adults after adjustment for socioeconomic status (SES) and lifestyle factors.

Methods

Waist circumference, blood pressure, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and fasting glucose measures were obtained from 3,100 adolescent (12-19y) and 3,419 adult (20-69y) non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Mexican-American participants of the 1999-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. We compared odds of having MetS and its components across racial/ethnic groups by age group, while adjusting for income, education, physical activity and diet quality.

Results

After adjusting for possible confounding influences of SES and lifestyle, non-Hispanic-black adolescent males exhibited a lower odds of MetS and multiple components (abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL, hyperglycemia) compared to non-Hispanic-white and Mexican-American adolescents. Compared to non-Hispanic white adolescent males, Mexican-American adolescent males had less hypertension. There were no differences in MetS prevalence among adolescent females, though non-Hispanic-black girls exhibited less hypertriglyceridemia.

Conclusion

Racial/ethnicity-specific differences in MetS and its components are present in both adolescence and adulthood, even after adjusting for environmental factors. These data help strengthen arguments for developing racial/ethnic-specific MetS criteria to better identify individuals at risk for future cardiovascular disease.

Background. The NCEP metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a combination of dichotomized interrelated risk factors from predominantly Caucasian populations. We propose a continuous MetS score based on principal component analysis (PCA) of the same risk factors in a multiethnic cohort and compare prediction of incident CVD events with NCEP MetS definition. Additionally, we replicated these analyses in the Health, Aging, and Body composition (Health ABC) study cohort. Methods and Results. We performed PCA of the MetS elements (waist circumference, HDL, TG, fasting blood glucose, SBP, and DBP) in 2610 Caucasian Americans, 801 Chinese Americans, 1875 African Americans, and 1494 Hispanic Americans in the multiethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA) cohort. We selected the first principal component as a continuous MetS score (MetS-PC). Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the association between MetS-PC and 5.5 years of CVD events (n = 377) adjusting for age, gender, race, smoking and LDL-C, overall and by ethnicity. To facilitate comparison of MetS-PC with the binary NCEP definition, a MetS-PC cut point was chosen to yield the same 37% prevalence of MetS as the NCEP definition (37%) in the MESA cohort. Hazard ratio (HR) for CVD events were estimated using the NCEP and Mets-PC-derived binary definitions. In Cox proportional models, the HR (95% CI) for CVD events for 1-SD (standard deviation) of MetS-PC was 1.71 (1.54–1.90) (P < 0.0001) overall after adjusting for potential confounders, and for each ethnicity, HRs were: Caucasian, 1.64 (1.39–1.94), Chinese, 1.39 (1.06–1.83), African, 1.67 (1.37–2.02), and Hispanic, 2.10 (1.66-2.65). Finally, when binary definitions were compared, HR for CVD events was 2.34 (1.91–2.87) for MetS-PC versus 1.79 (1.46–2.20) for NCEP MetS. In the Health ABC cohort, in a fully adjusted model, MetS-PC per 1-SD (Health ABC) remained associated with CVD events (HR = 1.21, 95%CI 1.12–1.32) overall, and for each ethnicity, Caucasian (HR = 1.24, 95%CI 1.12–1.39) and African Americans (HR = 1.16, 95%CI 1.01–1.32). Finally, when using a binary definition of MetS-PC (cut point 0.505) designed to match the NCEP definition in terms of prevalence in the Health ABC cohort (35%), the fully adjusted HR for CVD events was 1.39, 95%CI 1.17–1.64 compared with 1.46, 95%CI 1.23–1.72 using the NCEP definition. Conclusion. MetS-PC is a continuous measure of metabolic syndrome and was a better predictor of CVD events overall and in individual ethnicities. Additionally, a binary MetS-PC definition was better than the NCEP MetS definition in predicting incident CVD events in the MESA cohort, but this superiority was not evident in the Health ABC cohort.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether in hypertensive patients the risk of cardiovascular disease is greater in association with the metabolic syndrome (MetS) or the sum of its individual components.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Cox regression analysis models were developed to assess the influence of age, sex, ethnicity, and the individual components of MetS on risk associated with the MetS (using several definitions) of coronary outcomes, stroke, and all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

MetS was significantly associated with coronary outcomes, stroke, and all-cause mortality after adjusting for age, sex, and ethnicity. However, when the model was further adjusted for the individual components, MetS was associated with significantly increased risk of stroke (hazard ratio 1.34 [95% CI 1.07–1.68]) and all-cause mortality (1.35 [1.16–1.58]) but not coronary outcomes (fatal coronary heart disease plus nonfatal myocardial infarction 1.16 [0.95–1.43] and total coronary events 1.06 [0.91–1.24]).

CONCLUSIONS

MetS, independent of its individual components, is associated with increased risk of stroke and all-cause mortality but not coronary outcomes.

Background

Information on the distribution of Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its combinations by urban/rural areas in lower-middle income countries has been limited. It is not clear how the various combinations of MetS components varied by urban/rural population and if particular combinations of MetS are more common. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of MetS and combinations of MetS components according to sex and urban/rural areas from a nationally representative sample of Thai adults.

Methods

Data from the fourth National Health Examination Survey of 19,256 Thai adults aged 20 years and over were analyzed. MetS was defined using the harmonized criteria of six international expert groups with Asian-specific cut-point for waist circumference.

Results

The prevalence of MetS was 23.2% among adults aged ≥ 20 years (19.5% in men and 26.8% in women). Among men, the prevalence of MetS in urban was higher than those in rural areas (23.1% vs 17.9%, P < 0.05), but among women, the prevalence was higher in rural areas (27.9% vs 24.5%, P < 0.05). Overall, an individual component of low high density lipoprotein (HDL) and hypertriglyceridemia were more common in rural areas, while obesity, high blood pressure and hyperglycemia were more common in urban areas. The most common combination of MetS components in men was the clustering of low HDL, hypertriglyceridemia, and high blood pressure (urban: 3.4% vs. rural: 3.9%, adjusted OR 0.9, 95%CI 0.7, 1.1). Among women, the most common combination was the clustering of obesity, low HDL, and hypertriglyceridemia (urban: 3.9% vs rural: 5.9%, adjusted OR 0.8, 95%CI 0.6, 0.9), followed by the clustering of these three components with high blood pressure (urban: 3.1% vs. rural 4.5%, adjusted OR 0.8, 95%CI 0.7, 0.9).

Conclusion

Metabolic syndrome affects both urban and rural population with different pattern of MetS combinations. Dyslipidemia and obesity were the most common components among women in rural areas, hence, interventions to prevent and control these factors should be strengthened.

Background

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a risk factor for diabetes, stroke, myocardial infarction, and increased mortality, and has been associated with cognition in some populations. We hypothesized that MetS would be associated with lower Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores in a multi-ethnic population, and that MetS is a better predictor of cognition than its individual components or diabetes.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis among 3,150 stroke-free participants. MetS was defined by the modified National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines-Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATPIII) criteria. Linear regression and polytomous logistic regression estimated the association between MMSE score and MetS, its individual components, diabetes, and inflammatory biomarkers.

Results

MetS was inversely associated with MMSE score (unadjusted β = −0.67; 95% CI −0.92, −0.41). Adjusting for potential confounders, MetS was associated with lower MMSE score (adjusted β = −0.24; 95% CI −0.47, −0.01), but its individual components and diabetes were not. Those with MetS were more likely to have an MMSE score of <18 than a score of ≥24 (adjusted OR = 1.94; 95% CI 1.26, 3.01). There was an interaction between MetS and race-ethnicity, such that MetS was associated with lower MMSE score among non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics but not non-Hispanic blacks.

Conclusions

MetS was associated with lower cognition in a multi-ethnic population. Further studies of the effect of MetS on cognition are warranted, and should account for demographic differences.

Second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are increasingly being used to treat children with a variety of psychiatric illnesses. Metabolic syndrome (MetS), a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, is a side-effect of SGA-treatment. We conducted a cross-sectional study and assessed the association of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T variant with features of MetS in SGA-treated (n=105) and SGA–naïve (n=112) children. We targeted the MTHFR C677T variant, because it is associated with risk for cardiovascular disease, and features of MetS in adults without psychiatric illness. MetS in children is based on the presence of any three of the following: waist circumference ⩾90th percentile for age and sex; plasma triglyceride ⩾1.24 mmol l−1; plasma high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol ⩽1.03 mmol l−1; systolic or diastolic blood pressure ⩾90th percentile for age, sex, and height; and fasting glucose ⩾5.6 mmol l−1. We found that 15% of SGA-treated children had MetS compared with 2% of SGA-naïve children (OR 8.113, P<0.05). No effect of the MTHFR C677T variant on psychiatric diagnosis was observed. The MTHFR 677T allele was associated (P<0.05) with MetS (OR 5.75, 95% CI= 1.18–28.12) in SGA-treated children. Models adjusted for duration of SGA treatment, ethnicity, sex, age and use of other medications revealed a positive relationship between the MTHFR 677T allele and diastolic blood pressure Z-scores (P=0.001) and fasting plasma glucose (P<0.05) in SGA-treated children. These findings illustrate the high prevalence of MetS in SGA-treated children and suggest metabolic alterations associated with the MTHFR C677T variant may have a role in the development of MetS features in SGA-treated children.

Aim. At present, little data exist about incidence and the risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The objectives of present study were to assess the incidence and risk factors of MetS in people with T2DM. Methods. During the mean (SD) follow-up period of 11.7 (4.8) years, 3,047 patients with T2DM and free of MetS at baseline have been examined to determine incidence and predictors of progression to MetS. A modified the National Cholesterol Education Program—Adult Treatment Panel III definition with body mass index (BMI) instead of waist circumference was used for the MetS. Results. The prevalence of MetS was 63.2% (95% CI: 62.3, 64.1). The incidence of MetS was 28.5 (95% CI: 26.8, 30.2) (25.9 men and 30.9 women) per 1,000 patient-years based on 35,677 patient-years of follow-up. Multivariate analysis revealed that higher BMI and education, lower HbA1c and treatment with oral agent or insulin were associated with MetS. Conclusion. These are the first estimate of incidence and risk factors of MetS in patients with T2DM in Iran. These findings showed that the natural course of MetS is dynamic. The clinical management of patients with T2DM will contribute significantly to MetS prevention.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the use of GHb and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) to define the metabolic syndrome (MetS).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2006 were used. MetS was defined using the consensus criteria in 2009. Raised blood glucose was defined as either FPG ≥100 mg/dl (5.6 mmol/l) or GHb ≥5.7%.

RESULTS

In 2003–2006, there was 91.3% agreement between GHb and FPG when either was used to define MetS. The agreement was good irrespective of age, sex, race/ethnicity, BMI, and diabetes status (≥87.4%). Similar results were found in 1999–2002. Among subjects without diabetes, only the use of GHb alone, but not FPG, resulted in significant association with cardiovascular diseases (odds ratio 1.45, P = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

Using GHb instead of FPG to define MetS is feasible. It also identifies individuals with increased cardiovascular risk.

Background

Current smoking is associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance but its association with the metabolic syndrome (metS), particularly with sufficiently sampled African American representation, has not been clearly established.

Objective

To assess whether a) metS is associated with smoking; b) any increased risk of metS among smokers is independent of body mass index (BMI) compared with non-smokers; c) smoking status is differentially associated with the metS and its components across different ethnic groups.

Methods

Cross sectional analysis of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) a community population-based sample free of cardiovascular disease.

Results

Current smokers (N = 769) had higher risk of metS (odds ratio [OR, 95% confidence interval]: 1.4, 1.1-1.7) versus never (reference, N = 2981) and former smokers (1.0, 0.8-1.1, N = 2163) and for metS components: high waist circumference (WC) (OR:1.9, 1.2-2.1), low high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (1.5, 1.3-1.8), elevated plasma triglycerides (TG) (OR:1.4, 1.2-1.7) as well as high C-reactive protein (CRP, an inflammatory marker) concentration (OR: 1.6,1.3-2.0) compared to never and former smokers after adjustment for BMI. A smoking status by ethnicity interaction occurred such that African American current and former smokers had greater likelihood of low HDL-C than White counterparts.

Conclusions

This study found that smoking is associated with the metS and despite the lower BMI of current smokers the prevalence of low HDL-C, elevated TG and CRP is higher among them than among non-smokers. African Americans generally have higher HDL-C than Whites but smoking wipes out this advantage.

Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00005487

Background

In 2001 the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) provided a categorical definition for metabolic syndrome (c-MetS). We studied the extent to which two ethnic groups, Blacks and Whites were affected by c-MetS. The groups were members of the Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network (HyperGEN), a part of the Family Blood Pressure Program, supported by the NHLBI. Although the c-MetS definition is of special interest in particular to the clinicians, the quantitative latent traits of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) are also important in order to gain further understanding of its etiology. In this study, quantitative evaluation of the MetS latent traits (q-MetS) was based on the statistical multivariate method factor analysis (FA).

Results

The prevalence of the c-MetS was 34% in Blacks and 39% in Whites. c-MetS showed predominance of obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Three and four factor domains were identified through FA, classified as "Obesity," "Blood pressure," "Lipids," and "Central obesity." They explained approximately 60% of the variance in the 11 original variables. Two factors classified as "Obesity" and "Central Obesity" overlapped when FA was performed without rotation. All four factors in FA with Varimax rotation were consistent between Blacks and Whites, between genders and also after excluding type 2 diabetes (T2D) participants. Fasting insulin (INS) associated mainly with obesity and lipids factors.

Conclusions

MetS in the HyperGEN study has a compound phenotype with separate domains for obesity, blood pressure, and lipids. Obesity and its relationship to lipids and insulin is clearly the dominant factor in MetS. Linkage analysis on factor scores for components of MetS, in familial studies such as HyperGEN, can assist in understanding the genetic pathways for MetS and their interactions with the environment, as a first step in identifying the underlying pathophysiological causes of this syndrome.

Recent studies have suggested that natural agents such as isoflavones, resveratrol, and anthocyanin have beneficial effects on metabolic syndrome-related disorders. The objective of this study was to evaluate dietary isoflavone intake, urinary isoflavone level, and their relationship with the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among Korean postmenopausal women. The subjects included 46 MetS and 60 controls. The MetS risk score was determined by adding the number of risk factors such as waist circumference, blood pressure (BP) and levels of triglyceride (TG), HDL-cholesterol, and glucose. Dietary isoflavone intake was not significantly different between the MetS and control groups; however, the urinary daidzein level was significantly higher in the MetS subjects compared to that of the controls. Subjects with high TG had higher urinary daidzein and isoflavone (daidzein + genistein) levels than those without such abnormalities. But, the MetS risk score showed no significant correlation with urinary daidzein, genistein, and isoflavone excretions.

Background

The existence of an association between lung function and metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been debated in cases involving non-obese subjects. To address this debate, we performed a cross-sectional study to investigate the association between lung function and MetS in both obese and non-obese populations.

Methods

The present study consisted of a total of 1,951 Korean male subjects. In this study group, we investigated relationships between lung function and MetS risk factors such as fasting serum glucose, systolic blood pressure (SBP), insulin resistance index, waist circumference (WC), and hemoglobin A1C level.

Results

Forced vital capacity (FVC) values were significantly lower in the MetS group compared with those of the non-MetS group. In both non-obese (body mass index [BMI] < 25 kg/m2) and obese subjects (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2), fasting serum glucose, hemoglobin A1C level, insulin resistance index, SBP, WC, and the prevalences of diabetes and MetS were significantly higher in subjects in the lowest FVC quartile compared with those in the highest FVC quartile. Odds ratios for the presence of MetS risk factors, after adjusting for age and height, ranged from 1.21 to 1.39 (P < 0.01) for a one standard deviation decrease in FVC.

Conclusion

The results of our study suggest that decreased vital capacity in Korean adult male subjects is associated with MetS, irrespective of obesity.

Background

The risk for cardiovascular events is higher for those with metabolic syndrome (MetS), and it is known that firefighters have a fourfold risk for cardiovascular events. The purpose of this study was to quantify MetS prevalence and evaluate the effect of a low glycemic nutritional fitness program on the reduction of MetS risk factors among firefighters.

Methods

Professional firefighters were screened for MetS then enrolled in a low glycemic nutritional fitness program for a 12-week period. Anthropometric and physiologic measurements were obtained at the start and end of the program. Subjects with ≥3 of the following were positive for MetS: waist ≥40 (men) or ≥35 inches (women), BP≥135 (systole) or ≥85 (diastole) mmHg, fasting blood sugar ≥100mg/dl, triglycerides ≥150mg/dl, and high-density lipoproteins <40 (men) or <50 mg/dl (women). Weekly training was provided with low glycemic nutrition and regular fitness and evaluation of individual progress.

Results

Seventy-five firefighters (age 42+8yrs, mostly Caucasian men) had a total MetS prevalence of 46.7% (p<0.05 vs normal population). One platoon (10 men, age 48±5yrs) was enrolled in the 12-week program. Most (7/10) had MetS at the baseline, but this prevalence decreased significantly after 12 weeks to 3 subjects (p=0.02). On average, subjects had 3.2±1.6 vs 1.9±1.7 MetS risk factors (p<0.01) at baseline and 12 week interval, respectively.

Conclusions

The prevalence of MetS and MetS risk factors are higher among professional firefighters compared to general population. A short-duration low glycemic fitness program can successfully improve anthropometric and physiologic measures and reduce the prevalence of MetS.

Background

Uric acid is tightly linked to the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and among adults higher uric acid levels are associated with future risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and renal disease.

Objective

Evaluate the sensitivity of MetS to identify adolescents with elevated uric acid levels on a race/ethnicity and gender-specific basis.

Methods

We evaluated 3,296 males and female adolescents 12-19y participating in the National Health and Nutrition Evaluation Survey ‘99-’06, comprised of 67.6% non-Hispanic whites, 15.1% non-Hispanic blacks, and 17.3% Hispanics. We used a definition of MetS modified for use in adolescents and evaluated the sensitivity of a diagnosis of MetS to identify individuals with uric acid elevations (approximately the 95th percentile of uric acid by gender among normal-weight adolescents).

Results

When used as a screening test to identify individuals with uric acid elevations MetS performed more poorly among females (18.0%) than among males (37.0%)(p<0.001). Among males, MetS exhibited a lower sensitivity among non-Hispanic blacks (17.8%) compared to Hispanics (45.9%)(p<0.01) and non-Hispanic whites (37.4%)(p<0.05). There were no race/ethnicity differences in detecting elevated uric acid levels among females (non-Hispanic-white 15.5%, non-Hispanic-black 19.4%, Hispanic 26.5%, p>0.05).

Conclusion

Current criteria to diagnose MetS exhibit racial/ethnic and gender differences in the ability to identify adolescents with elevated uric acid levels, performing poorly among non-Hispanic-black males and among females. Given emerging data regarding the ability of uric acid elevations for predicting future disease, these data may have implications regarding the use of MetS as a marker of risk among all gender and racial/ethnic groups.

Background and aims

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) comprises central obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension and dyslipidemia, interrelated metabolic risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A state of low-grade systemic inflammation may underlie this constellation of risk factors. Chronic inflammatory conditions, such as periodontal disease, may contribute to systemic inflammation and development of MetS. This study examines the association of periodontitis with MetS with and without consideration of systemic inflammatory status.

Methods

The association of alveolar bone loss (none/slight vs moderate/severe) determined from panoramic radiographs and MetS parameters were analyzed using logistic regression, adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, and smoking in 112 men and 78 women (mean±SD age 56.7±13.3 and 60.0±12.1, respectively) participating in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.

Results

Participants with radiographic evidence of moderate to advanced alveolar bone loss were significantly more likely to have MetS than those with minimal or no bone loss (OR 2.61, 95% CI 1.1–6.1, p<0.05). No significant differences in systemic inflammation were found between periodontal groups.

Conclusions

The association of alveolar bone loss to MetS is consistent with the hypothesis that destructive periodontal disease may contribute to the development of MetS and elevations in systemic inflammation. Longitudinal studies are necessary to clarify the role of periodontal disease in the development of MetS and conditions associated with chronic inflammation.

Background:

There is inconsistency in accepting waist circumference (WC) as mandatory and also regarding its significance for diagnosis of metabolic syndrome (MetS) for different populations.

Aim:

To study the association of individual parameters of MetS with WC cutoffs suitable for South Asian Indians.

Materials and Methods:

From an ongoing hospital-based study on MetS as per the criteria of diagnosis of modified NCEP ATP III, 713 subjects having a minimum three of the four parameters, i.e., dyslipidemia [low high density lipoprotein (HDL), high triglycerides], dysglycemia and hypertension, without regard to cutoffs of WC, were included in the present study.

Results:

Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis of WC cut-off points for males was 90 cm with a sensitivity and specificity of 71% and 96%, respectively, and for females was 85 cm with a sensitivity and specificity of 86% and 93%, respectively, associated with the risk factors of MetS. Multiple logistic regression analysis for low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentration of ≥3.38 mmol/l showed an odds ratio of 5.03 (95% CI = 1.29–19.5) in males and 3.17 (95% CI = 1.14–8.76) in females which was statistically significant (P < 0.02); in addition to higher WC, higher level of triglyceride (P ≤ 0.0001) and lower level of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (P ≤ 0.02) were observed.

Conclusion:

This study suggests that WC of 90 cm in males and 85 cm in females should be a mandatory criterion of MetS in our subset of population. LDL may be considered one of the components of MetS along with the currently defined WC cutoffs.

Background

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) encompasses a cluster of coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus risk factors. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the factors underlying the clustering of MetS components in diabetic and non-diabetic individuals.

Methods

Factor analysis was performed on 2978 (1652 non-diabetic and 1326 diabetic) participants. Entering waist circumference, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and systolic blood pressure (SBP), we performed exploratory factor analysis in diabetic and non-diabetic individuals separately. The analysis was repeated after replacing triglycerides and HDL-C with triglycerides to HDL-C ratio (triglycerides/HDL-C). MetS was defined by either adult treatment panel III (ATPIII), international diabetes federation (IDF) criteria, or by the modified form of IDF using waist circumference cut-off points for Iranian population.

Results

The selection of triglycerides and HDL-C as two distinct variables led to identifying two factors explaining 61.3% and 55.4% of the total variance in non-diabetic and diabetic participants, respectively. In both diabetic and non-diabetic subjects, waist circumference, HOMA-IR and SBP loaded on factor 1. Factor 2 was mainly determined by triglycerides and HDL-C. Factor 1 and 2 were directly and inversely associated with MetS, respectively. When triglycerides and HDL-C were replaced by triglycerides/HDL-C, one factor was extracted, which explained 47.6% and 38.8% of the total variance in non-diabetic and diabetic participants, respectively.

Conclusion

This study confirms that in both diabetic and non-diabetic participants the concept of a single underlying factor representing MetS is plausible.

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and its risk factors are predictors of cardiovascular events. MetS is also directly associated with echocardiographic (ECHO) phenotypes. The current study is the first to investigate factors associated with both MetS risk factors and echocardiographic phenotypes and to assess their heritability. Multivariate factor analysis (FA) was performed on 15 traits in 1,393 African Americans and 1,133 Caucasians, as well as stratified by type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) status. FA with Varimax rotation established four to five latent factors across ethnicities and DM stratifications. Among MetS risk factors, BP was most highly correlated with cardiac traits. The factor domains, ordered by the proportion of variance explained, were “LV wall thickness,” “LV geometry,” “BP,” “body mass index-insulin,” and “lipid-insulin.” FA without any rotation identified special (cross domain) MetS-ECHO factors, “BP-LV geometry” and “BP-LV dimension-wall thickness” in Caucasians. Of the total original risk factors variance, 50%–57% of it was explained by the latent factors. Heritabilities were highest for body mass index-insulin (37–53%), lowest for “BP” factors (15–27%) and intermediate for MetS-ECHO factors. These identified latent factors can be utilized as summary phenotypes in epidemiological, linkage and association studies.