title: The relationship between metabolic syndrome, its components, and the whole-body atherosclerotic disease burden as measured by computed tomography angiography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Quantify the whole-body atherosclerotic disease in asymptomatic subjects with and without metabolic syndrome (MetS) and to assess the contribution of the syndrome and its components to the atherosclerotic burden.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-five subjects with and 51 without ATPIII-defined MetS underwent a 64-slice computed tomography angiography (CTA). Plaques causing >0% stenosis in coronary or extra-coronary arteries were classified as positive.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of plaques in coronary, carotid and peripheral arteries as well as their severity did not differ between groups. Conversely, it was seen an almost 3-fold increased likelihood (OR=2.70; 95% CI 1.30-5.57; P<0.001) of atherosclerosis in any district across categories of MetS components (0-1 vs. 2-3 vs. 4-5). Hypertriglyceridemia (P<0.05) and high blood glucose (P<0.05) were independent predictors of the atherosclerotic burden.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Atherosclerotic burden as revealed by 64-TCA appears to be more strongly associated with the number of MetS-related factors than to the clinical diagnosis of MetS itself.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Unit of Atherosclerosis, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pigna
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Napoli
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zaccagna
authors.forename: Beatrice Cavallo
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Marincola
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Monticolo
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Catalano
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Iuliano
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed