SYNDROME-X - PREVALENCE IN A LARGE POPULATION-BASED STUDY

Much interest has been devoted to a cluster of metabolic abnormalities including impaired glucose metabolism, high blood pressure, low HDL c holesterol and high triglycerides, defined as Syndrome X, and its role as a potential important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Howe ver, limited information exists about the prevalence of this cluster o f metabolic abnormalities in population-based studies. A large cohort of men and women (24,798 men and 20,558 women), age 20-69, participant s in a series of epidemiological investigations, were pooled. Estimate s of the prevalence of Syndrome X and the individual factors comprisin g this cluster of metabolic abnormalities were calculated according to gender and age groups. The majority of participants at baseline prese nted one or more of the metabolic abnormalities, ie, elevated blood le vels of glucose, triglycerides, high blood pressure, lower levels of g lucose, triglycerides, high blood pressure, lower levels of high densi ty lipoproteins. However, the prevalence of the full cluster (Syndrome X) of metabolic abnormalities was low in the population as a whole, w ith only 2.4% of men and 3.1% of women exhibiting the full Syndrome X. These data from a large population-based epidemiological investigatio n indicate that the presence of a full cluster of metabolic abnormalit ies from Syndrome X is limited. The majority of individuals present el evation in any one or two of the metabolic abnormalities. The notion o f the cluster of metabolic abnormalities (Syndrome X) should not distr act our attention from established individual risk factors that have b een proven to be major causes of cardiovascular death and disability i n our society. (C) 1997, Medikal Press..