title: Metabolic syndrome is associated with coronary artery calcium in asymptomatic white Brazilian men considered low-risk by Framingham risk score.
abstract: The authors investigated whether the metabolic syndrome is associated with coronary artery calcium (CAC) independently of 10-year coronary heart disease risk assessment by Framingham risk scores (FRS) in asymptomatic white Brazilian men. In a group of 458 men (mean age 46+/-7 years), the 10-year coronary heart disease risk was 9%+/-8%, and the metabolic syndrome and CAC were present in 24% and 41% of the participants, respectively. Compared with those classified as low risk (<10% FRS; n=256), men with FRS of 10% or more had an odds ratio of 4.57 (95% confidence interval, 3.08-6.82; P<.0001) for the presence of any CAC. The prevalence of CAC increased monotonically with the increasing number of metabolic syndrome components (none=29%, 1 or 2=44%, and >or=3=51%, P=.002 for trend). The presence of the metabolic syndrome was associated with an increased risk of CAC: odds ratio, 1.94 (95% CI, 1.05-3.61); however, this finding was significant only in those individuals classified as low risk (FRS <10%). In conclusion, metabolic syndrome is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in Brazilian participants considered at low risk according to FRS.
authors.affiliation: Lipid Clinic Heart Institute (InCor), Univerisity of São Paulo Medical School Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil. rdsf@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Raul D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Khurram
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nasir
authors.forename: Kashif
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tufail
authors.forename: Romeu Sergio
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Meneghelo
authors.forename: Jose A M
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Roger S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Blumenthal
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D044465:White People