Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and peripheral endothelial dysfunction (PED) are both independently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). PED provides prognostic information beyond that provided by conventional risk factors. However, the association between MetS and PED remains uncertain. We evaluated the association between MetS and PED.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients who were referred to Mayo Clinic between 2006 and 2014 for evaluation of chest pain and/or an assessment of CVD risk that included an assessment of PED measured with reactive hyperemia peripheral arterial tonometry (index<2.0 defines PED). MetS was defined as the presence of at least 3 of the following: body mass index ≥25 kg/m², impaired fasting glucose or diabetes, high blood pressure, hypertriglyceridemia, or low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Results: Six hundred seventy eight patients were included (mean age 51.9±13.5 years, 418 (61.6%) women), of which 293 (43.2%) had PED, and 249 (36.7%) had MetS. In multivariable analyses adjusted for age, sex, presence of obstructive CVD, smoking status and elevated low-density lipoprotein, MetS was significantly associated with PED (Odds Ratio (OR) 2.06; P=0.0090). Of the individual MetS components, only being overweight and MetS range high density lipoprotein had a similar association. After stratifying by sex with adjustment for the same confounding variables except sex, the association between MetS and PED persisted only in men (OR 3.16, P=0.0094).

Conclusions: MetS is associated with PED in men undergoing an assessment of chest pain and/or CVD risk. Identifying PED in individuals with MetS could provide an abridged assessment of risk, potentially allowing for earlier and more intensive management of risk factors.