title: Significance of high HDL cholesterol levels in Japanese men with metabolic syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to clarify the significance of high high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels in the metabolic syndrome (MetS). The evaluation focused on insulin resistance as an indicator of early-stage MetS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 2705 men who first underwent an annual health check-up at Tokai University Hachioji Hospital, 2129 men were included in this study, after exclusion of those on medication for hypertension, diabetes or dyslipidemia, and those with a prior history of ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease or chronic renal failure. MetS risk factors include the following five parameters: waist circumference, blood pressure, plasma glucose, triglycerides and HDL-C. The correlations between HDL-C and number of MetS risks with homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were analyzed. HOMA-IR, number of risks, habits of smoking, exercise and drinking alcohol, stratified by HDL-C levels, were compared in MetS subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In cases with ≤2 risk factors, the higher the HDL-C, the lower the HOMA-IR. However, with ≥3 risk factors for MetS, the HOMA-IR increased when HDL-C was ≥90 mg/dL. In MetS subjects, the rate of alcohol intake ≥75 g/day was high when HDL-C was ≥90 mg/dL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In MetS subjects with high HDL-C levels, insulin resistance was increased. Therefore, in persons with high HDL-C levels, it is important to monitor the amount of alcohol consumption and reduce alcohol consumption to <75 g/day.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Health Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Noboru
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hiratsuka
authors.forename: Chizumi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Toshitake
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mitsuhashi
authors.forename: Fumiyo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Inabe
authors.forename: Nami
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Araida
authors.forename: Eiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D044466:Asian People; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007564:Japan; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL