Abstract
Aim: We have investigated whether metabolic syndrome is a risk factor for carotid atherosclerosis also in normotensive or prehypertensive individuals.
Methods: We analyzed the data from 851 subjects who had a blood pressure of less than 140/90 mmHg and were not taking antihypertensive medication. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to three different criteria: Japan criteria (Japan-MetS); those of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP)-Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) (NCEP-MetS); and modified NCEP-ATP III criteria in which body mass index was used as a surrogate for waist circumference (modified NCEP-MetS).
Results: Japan-MetS, NCEP-MetS, and modified NCEP-MetS were found, respectively, in 1%, 4%, and 4%, of women, and in 10%, 5%, and 9%, of men. After the adjustment for gender and age, the association between MetS and carotid atherosclerosis did not reach statistical significance.
Conclusion: Although the number of enrolled subjects was relatively small, these data may further support the importance of controlling blood pressure within the optimal range for the purpose of preventing atherosclerosis in individuals with metabolic syndrome.
