title: Is the frequency of metabolic syndrome higher in South Korean women with rheumatoid arthritis than in healthy subjects?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the frequency of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and magnitude of insulin resistance, measured by the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), between South Korean women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and healthy subjects, and to evaluate risk factors for MetS and increased HOMA-IR in patients with RA.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional setting, 84 female patients with RA and 109 age-matched healthy female subjects were consecutively recruited at a university-affiliated rheumatology center in South Korea. MetS was defined according to the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP-ATP III) 2004 criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of MetS did not differ significantly between patients with RA (19%) and healthy subjects (15.6%, p = 0.566), although patients with RA had a higher HOMA-IR compared with healthy subjects (p < 0.001). Patients with RA met the NCEP-ATP III 2004 criteria for high blood pressure more often than healthy subjects (44% vs. 19.3%, p < 0.001), and low high density lipoprotein cholesterol was more prevalent in healthy subjects (33%) than in patients with RA (14.3%, p = 0.004). Although no obvious risk factors for the presence of MetS were identified in patients with RA, higher serum C-reactive protein and disease activity score assessed using the 28-joint count for swelling and tenderness-erythrocyte sedimentation rate significantly contributed to a higher HOMA-IR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite their increased insulin resistance, South Korean women with RA did not have a significantly higher frequency of MetS compared with that in healthy subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Geun
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sun-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kye-Hyung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji-Hye
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Woo-Jin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Young-Eun
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seong-Hu
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Joung-Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seung-Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.forename: Jun-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Geun-Tae
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Arthritis, rheumatoid; Cardiovascular diseases; Insulin resistance; Metabolic syndrome X