title: The clustering patterns of metabolic risk factors and its association with sub-clinical atherosclerosis in Korean population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is considered to be an insulin-resistance syndrome, but recent evidence suggests that MetS has multiple physiological origins which may be related to atherosclerosis. This study investigated clustering patterns of metabolic risk factors and its association with sub-clinical atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used factor analysis of 11 metabolic factors in 1374 individuals to define clustering patterns and determine their association with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). Eleven metabolic factors were used: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting blood insulin (FBI), serum triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and adiponectin. Two regression analyses were done, the first using individual metabolic variables and the second using each factor from the factor analysis to evaluate their relationships with CIMT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four clustering patterns, insulin-resistance factor (FBG, FBI, HOMA-IR), obesity-inflammatory factor (BMI, WC, hsCRP), blood pressure factor (SBP, DBP) and lipid metabolic factor (HDL-C, TG, adiponectin) were categorized. In a multivariate regression model after adjustment for age, sex, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and smoking history (pack year), insulin resistance factor (B = 11.09, p = 0.026), obesity-inflammatory factor (B = 18.50, p < 0.001), blood pressure factor (B = 12.84, p = 0.010) and lipid metabolic factor (B = - 11.55, p = 0.023) were found to be significantly associated with CIMT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, metabolic risk factors have four distinct clustering patterns that are independently associated with sub-clinical atherosclerosis.
authors: Department of Preventive Medicine, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju 220-710, South Korea.
authors: Jin-Ha
authors: JH
authors: Yoon
authors: Jong-Ku
authors: JK
authors: Park
authors: Sung-Soo
authors: SS
authors: Oh
authors: Ki-Hyun
authors: KH
authors: Lee
authors: Sung-Kyung
authors: SK
authors: Kim
authors: Jong-Koo
authors: JK
authors: Kim
authors: Hee-Taik
authors: HT
authors: Kang
authors: Young-Jin
authors: YJ
authors: Youn
authors: Jun-Won
authors: JW
authors: Lee
authors: Seung-Hwan
authors: SH
authors: Lee
authors: Ae-Yong
authors: AY
authors: Eom
authors: Choon-Hee
authors: CH
authors: Chung
authors: Jang-Young
authors: JY
authors: Kim
authors: Sang-Baek
authors: SB
authors: Koh
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology