title: [Heritability of the risk factors characteristic for the metabolic syndrome: a twin study].
abstract: Both genetic and environmental factors play role in the pathogenesis of the metabolic syndrome. The magnitude of genetic and environmental influences on the components of metabolic syndrome may vary in different populations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study was aimed to determine the effects of genetic and environmental factors on risk factors characteristic for the metabolic syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 101 (63 monozygotic and 38 dizygotic) adult twin pairs (n=202; mean age: 43.3±15.8 years) were investigated. Medical history was recorded and physical examination was carried out for each subject. Fasting venous blood samples were used for measuring laboratory parameters. The presented estimates include the heritability structural equation (A-C-E) model results. In Model-1, all presented parameters are age- and gender- corrected. In Model-2, parameters were corrected for age, gender, body mass index and waist circumference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Heritability in waist circumference (as well as in other anthropometric parameters such as weight and height) was high (Model-1: 71.0-88.1%). Similarly, genetic factors had the highest proportion of total phenotypic variance in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (Model-2: 57.1% and 57.7%, respectively). Based on the results of Model-2, unique environmental factors dominate alterations in serum triglycerides values (55.9%) while shared environmental factors proved to be substantial in alterations of HDL-cholesterol and fasting blood glucose values (58.1% and 57.1%, respectively). Comparing the results of Model-1 and Model-2, the difference in A-C-E model varied from 0.0% to 17.1%, indicating that only a minor proportion of genetic and environmental influences can be explained by the effects of anthropometric parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among adult Hungarian healthy people, genetic factors have substantial influence on waist circumference and blood pressure values while environmental factors dominate alterations in serum triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol and fasting blood glucose values. The different heritability of individual risk factors challenges the original unifying concept of the metabolic syndrome. The results may be useful for establishing and implementing primary cardiovascular prevention both at individual and population levels.
authors.affiliation: Fővárosi Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Kórház III. Belgyógyászati Osztály, Budapest, Maglódi út 89-91. 1106. gyjermendy@mail.datanet.hu
authors.forename: György
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jermendy
authors.forename: Levente
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Littvay
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Steinbach
authors.forename: Adám
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jermendy
authors.forename: Adám
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tárnoki
authors.forename: Dávid
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tárnoki
authors.forename: Júlia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Métneki
authors.forename: János
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Osztovits
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000235:genetics*; D001827:Body Height / Q000235:genetics; D001835:Body Weight / Q000235:genetics; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D004777:Environment; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides