title: The association between metabolic syndrome and its components and heart failure in patients referred to a primary care facility.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Metabolic syndrome (MS) is characterized by a collection of risk factors that are associated with elevated rates of cardiovascular events and the risk of developing heart failure (HF). In our field, the association of MS in stable chronic HF patients has not been established.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of MS in relation to gender and HF type in patients treated at a Primary Care Facility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2005 and August 2006, 144 patients were included in a cross sectional study. An echocardiogram, using the modified criteria of the EPICA study, was performed to determine whether or not the patient had HF, and of which type. Statistical analysis was conducted using the software SAS System, version 6.04, and statistical significance was established as 5%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MS was observed in 111 patients (77%), of which 73 (66%) were females: odds ratio (OR) 0.195--(confidence interval--CI = 0.08 - 0.46) and p< 0.0001. HF was identified in 102 patients (71%) with a great correlation between females and the presence of MS: 51 patients (65%); OR 0.116 (CI = 0.36- 0.37) and p < 0.0001. Among the HF patients, 61 (42%) presented HF with preserved systolic function and 41 (29%) with systolic dysfunction; p = ns. HF with preserved systolic function was associated with the presence of MS in 53 (87%) of the 61 patients, p = 0.022.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our community, MS is closely related to HF with preserved systolic function and to the female gender.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Cardiovasculares, Hospital Universitário Antônio Pedro, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brasil. flaviocolucci@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Flávio Augusto Colucci
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.forename: Marco Aurélio Espósito
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Moutinho
authors.forename: Verônica Alcooforado de
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: Leandro Reis
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.forename: Maurício
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rachid
authors.forename: Maria Luiza Garcia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.forename: Evandro Tinoco
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Mesquita
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D018754:Ventricular Dysfunction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology