Metabolic Syndrome
Basics
Description
- Metabolic syndrome (MetS) represents a cluster of risk factors that together correlate with an increased risk of premature morbidity including complications associated with COVID-19, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cardiovascular disease, stroke, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), certain cancers, and all-cause mortality.
- Multiple definitions for MetS exist. The most commonly accepted are from WHO 1999, National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) ATP3 2005, and International Diabetes Federation (IDF) 2006 (1).
- A cluster of progressive metabolic abnormalities demonstrating insulin resistance, a proinflammatory and prothrombotic state that manifest with at least three of the following:
- Increased waist circumference (WC) (required criteria, IDF; optional NCEP; waist:hip ratio >0.9 men, >0.85 women or body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2, WHO; WC ≥90th percentile for age and sex, NCEP includes ethnicity)
- Elevated blood pressure (BP) (>130/85, NCEP and IDF; >140/90, WHO), ≥90th percentile for age, height, and sex: NCEP; use adult cutoffs if lower than 90th percentile: IDF
- Elevated triglycerides (TG) ≥150 mg/dL or treatment (consistent in WHO, NCEP, IDF), ≥100 mg/dL, NCEP
- Decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDLC) (men <35 mg/dL, women 30 mg/dL, WHO; men <40 mg/dL, women <50 mg/dL, NCEP, IDF; ≤10th percentile for age and sex, NCEP; <40 mg/dL, IDF)
- Elevated fasting glucose ≥100 mg/dL
Epidemiology
Incidence
Parallels the incidence of obesity and T2DM.
Prevalence
Global prevalence is estimated at approximately one-quarter of the world population as of 2015 and over one-third of the U.S. adult population as of 2016 (1).
Etiology and Pathophysiology
- Increase in intra-abdominal and visceral adipose tissue
- Adipose tissue dysfunction, hormone dysregulation, insulin resistance, and leptin resistance
- Decreased levels of adiponectin (an adipocytokine known to protect against T2DM), HTN, atherosclerosis, and inflammation; decreased levels of ghrelin (associated with T2DM, insulin resistance, and obesity)
- Abnormal fatty acid metabolism, vascular endothelial dysfunction, systemic inflammation (increased IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], resistin, CRP), oxidative stress, elevated renin-angiotensin system activation, and a prothrombotic state (increased tissue plasminogen activator inhibitor-1) are also associated.
- The main etiologic factors are the following:
- Excess ectopic and visceral adipose tissue, adipose hypertrophy
- Insulin and leptin resistance
- Other contributing factors:
- Advancing age and associated hormonal changes
- Proinflammatory state
- Genetics, epigenetics, parental obesity
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Disordered sleep
- Dietary patterns with high levels of ultraprocessed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB)
- Medications (e.g., corticosteroids, antipsychotics, β-blockers)
Genetics
Genetic factors and obesogen exposures appear to contribute to the predisposition promoting obesity and MetS. Parental obesity at the time of conception and epigenetic changes may play a significant role in promoting MetS in offspring.
Risk Factors
- Birth status: small for gestational age (SGA) and large for gestational age (LGA), gestational diabetes mellitus
- Older age
- Family history; ethnicity
- Physical inactivity
- High consumption of sugar, fructose, and SSB
- Smoking
- Alteration of gut microbiome
- Poor sleep, disrupted circadian rhythm, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
- Weight-positive medications (e.g., corticosteroids, antipsychotics, β-blockers)
General Prevention
- Maintenance of healthy weight
Commonly Associated Conditions
- PCOS
- Acanthosis nigricans
- NAFLD
- OSA
- Osteoarthritis, Blount disease, slipped capital femoral epiphysis
- Depression and anxiety
- Cognitive impairment, Alzheimer disease
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease, gallstones
- Chronic renal disease
- Erectile dysfunction
- Hyperuricemia and gout
- Hypothyroidism
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Citation
Domino, Frank J., et al., editors. "Metabolic Syndrome." 5-Minute Clinical Consult, 27th ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2020. Medicine Central, im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/116379/all/Metabolic_Syndrome.
Metabolic Syndrome. In: Domino FJF, Baldor RAR, Golding JJ, et al, eds. 5-Minute Clinical Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2020. https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/116379/all/Metabolic_Syndrome. Accessed December 4, 2023.
Metabolic Syndrome. (2020). In Domino, F. J., Baldor, R. A., Golding, J., & Stephens, M. B. (Eds.), 5-Minute Clinical Consult (27th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/116379/all/Metabolic_Syndrome
Metabolic Syndrome [Internet]. In: Domino FJF, Baldor RAR, Golding JJ, Stephens MBM, editors. 5-Minute Clinical Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2020. [cited 2023 December 04]. Available from: https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/116379/all/Metabolic_Syndrome.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
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T1 - Metabolic Syndrome
ID - 116379
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ED - Baldor,Robert A,
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ED - Stephens,Mark B,
BT - 5-Minute Clinical Consult, Updating
UR - https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/116379/all/Metabolic_Syndrome
PB - Wolters Kluwer
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DB - Medicine Central
DP - Unbound Medicine
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