Abstract
Based on the new Japanese diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome (MetS) prepared in 2005, we studied MetS prevalence in subjects who underwent health examinations between June and October 2006 at a rural internal medicine clinic. We also evaluated the association of serum creatinine, uric acid, hepatic enzymes, alcohol intake, smoking, and MetS.
We measured the waist circumference of 910 people aged 50 to 92 (316 men and 594 women) and determined MetS prevalence. Prevalence in all participants was 13.8%, i.e., 21.2% in men and 9.9% in women. The 2-fold difference between men than in women, reflects the difference in visceral obesity defined by waist circumference, i.e., 46.5% in men and 27.9% in women. Analyzing biochemical data in addition to metabolic abnormality in individuals who had undergone general health checkups, we found that alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and γGTP are associated with MetS in both genders. Serum uric acid levels in women with MetS were significantly higher than those in women without. No significant difference was seen in serum creatinine levels between subjects with and without MetS in either gender. No association was seen among cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, and MetS.
The gender-specific prevalence of MetS is thus consistent with information indicating that men have about twice the risk for cardiovascular events. Japanese diagnostic criteria for MetS were thus considered appropriate from the perspective of preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Intervention to reduce the prevalence of MetS is also needed to reduce the risk of CVD.
