[Metabolic syndrome: prevalence, risk factors and mortality in a French population of 62 000 subjects]

Abstract

We evaluated the prevalence, risk factors and impact on all-cause mortality of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components in a large French population. The study population consisted of subjects aged 40 years or more who volunteered for a free health check-up at the IPC Center (Investigations Préventives et Cliniques, Paris) between 1999 and 2002. There were 40 977 men (53.2 +/- 9.1 years) and 21 277 women (55.9 +/- 10.3 years). The cutoff date for mortality data was March 2004. The mean follow-up period was 3.57 +/- 1.12 years. During this period, 271 men and 87 women died. MetS was defined according to NCEP-ATP III criteria. Cox regression models were used to evaluate the risk of death [hazards ratio (95% CI)]. MetS was present at baseline in 11.8% of men and 7.6% of women. The prevalence of MetS increased from 9% in men aged 40 to 49 years to 12.5% in men aged 70 years. In women, the prevalence rose from 4.9% to 11.3%, respectively. From 1999 to 2002, the prevalence of MetS increased from 11.0% to 12.8% in men and from 7.2% to 8.8% in women. The following clinical and biological parameters were significantly associated with MetS in men and women, after adjustment for age: lower physical activity, lower vital capacity ratio, higher pulse pressure and heart rate, higher gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, ASA and ALA transaminase and alkaline phosphatase levels, higher uricemia, leukocyte and globulin levels, dental and gingival inflammation, and higher stress and depression scores. After adjustment for age, the excess risk of all-cause mortality in subjects with MetS compared to subjects without MetS was 1.82 (1.35-2.43) in men and 1.80 (1.01-3.19) in women. After adjustment for age, gender, smoking, cholesterol, physical activity, socioeconomic status and prior cardiovascular disease, the risk of all-cause mortality was 1.69 (1.28-2.22) in the entire population. In order to evaluate the impact of each Mets component, and combinations of three MetS components, on all-cause mortality, a control group of subjects with no MetS components was used. After adjustment for age and gender, the risk of death associated with each MetS component was 2.36 (1.65-3.37) for high waist circumference, 2.08 (1.44-3.01) for elevated triglyceride levels, 1.71 (1.07-2.72) for low HDL-cholesterol levels, 1.75 (1.29-2.38) for elevated arterial pressure, and 2.93 (2.04-4.22) for elevated glucose levels. Waist circumference + elevated triglycerides + elevated glucose was the three-component combination with the strongest impact [HR = 4.95 (2.92-8.37)]. In this large French population, in which MetS was moderate, MetS was associated with other hemodynamic, hepatic, inflammatory and psychological risk factors, and with a 70% increase in all-cause mortality. The three-component combination most strongly associated with mortality was high waist circumference + elevated glucose + elevated triglycerides.