Metabolic syndrome defined by IDF and AHA/NHLBI correlates better to carotid intima-media thickness than that defined by NCEP ATP III and WHO

AimsWe conducted this study to compare the relationships between subclinical atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome (MS) defined by four definitions in Chinese subjects.MethodsIn 2006–2007, we enrolled 140 Chinese subjects without reported diabetes in this study. Anthropometric, biochemical profile, and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were measured. MS was defined by International Diabetes Federation (IDF), American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (AHA/NHLBI), National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panal III (NCEP-ATP III), and World Health Organization (WHO) criteria.ResultsSubjects with MS defined by IDF and AHA/NHLBI criteria had significantly higher carotid IMT, controlling for age, gender, smoking, and serum LDL-C (MS by IDF, partial r = 0.225, p = 0.008; AHA/NHLBI, partial r = 0.176, p = 0.04). The association between carotid IMT and MS defined by NCEP-ATP III or WHO criteria was not significant. Subjects with more components of MS defined by IDF, AHA/NHLBI, or NCEP-ATP III criteria correlated to higher carotid IMT in adjusted models (p-values for trend, MS by IDF, 0.011; AHA/NHLBI, 0.011; NCEP-ATPIII, 0.01; WHO, 0.113).ConclusionMS definitions by IDF and AHA/NHLBI criteria are the best among four definitions in detecting subclinical atherosclerosis in non-diabetic Chinese subjects; whereas MS defined by WHO criteria is the worst.