Are Diabetes and Heart Disease a Sure Thing for People With Metabolic Syndrome?

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Metabolic syndrome as a precursor of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus, by P.W.F. Wilson and colleagues. Circulation 112:3066–3072, 2005.

What is the problem and what is known about it so far?

Metabolic syndrome (a cluster of symptoms that include the body's inability to handle glucose, high blood pressure, large waist size, and high levels of fats in the blood) increases a person's chances of getting cardiovascular disease (disease of the heart and blood vessels). But studies that helped define what metabolic syndrome is included people with diabetes, which is known to increase a person's chance of getting heart and blood vessel disease by two to three times.

Why did the researchers do this particular study?

Researchers wanted to study the effect of metabolic syndrome on people without diabetes, heart and blood vessel disease, or coronary heart disease (disease of the blood vessels supplying the heart).

Who was studied?

The study included 3,323 people participating in the Framingham Heart Study, a project including tens of thousands of people who have been followed for decades. Researchers studied 1,549 men and 1,549 women -- none of them having diabetes, heart and blood vessel disease, or coronary heart disease, and none of whom were very thin.

How was the study done?

Participants had a physical exam and blood drawn for lab tests. They were then followed for eight years.

What did the researchers find?

People with metabolic syndrome were much more likely to get type 2 diabetes, heart and blood vessel disease, and coronary heart disease. Men with the condition were almost three times more likely to get heart and blood vessel disease, 2.5 times more likely to get disease of the blood vessels supplying the heart, and nearly 7 times more likely to get diabetes.

Among women, the results were similar but slightly lower.

What were the limitations of the study?

The study was limited to people who were mostly white and suburban. Outcomes might be different for other groups of people.

What are the implications of the study?

It may be worthwhile for doctors to look for metabolic syndrome and treat it rather than wait for a more serious disease to develop before treating the syndrome.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Is the Metabolic Syndrome Really a Syndrome?