title: The metabolic syndrome and its components in postmenopausal women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (METS) increases significantly after the menopause.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of the METS and its components in postmenopausal women. Factors relating to each of the composing items of the METS were also analyzed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Natural postmenopausal women (40-65 years) were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study in order to assess the presence of the METS using modified Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP-III) criteria. Participants were also requested to fill out a general socio-demographic questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 204 women were surveyed with a median age of 56 years. A 52.9% presented the METS according to modified ATP-III criteria, with 37.3% presenting hyperglycemia, 51.5% hypertension, 58.3% abdominal obesity, 45.6% high triglyceride levels and 56.4% low HDL-C levels. Women with the METS presented a higher rate of dyslipidemia (high triglyceride and low HDL-C levels), hyperglycemia, hypertension and abdominal obesity than those without the syndrome. Those with abdominal obesity and hyperglycemia significantly displayed higher rates of low HDL-C levels (bivariate analysis). Multiple linear regression analysis found a positive correlation between glucose and triglyceride levels. Systolic blood pressure significantly and positively correlated to age and abdominal circumference. Abdominal circumference displayed an inverse correlation with educational level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevalence of the METS in this postmenopausal female sample was high and associated to metabolic and lipid derangements. As abdominal obesity was significantly associated to lower education, there is an urgent need of implementing educational programs directed to high-risk populations in order to increase awareness of the problem.
authors: Institute of Biomedicine, Research Area for Women's Health, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Guayaquil, Ecuador. peter.chedraui@cu.ucsg.edu.ec
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Chedraui
authors: Glenda
authors: G
authors: San Miguel
authors: Isabel
authors: I
authors: Vintimilla-Sigüenza
authors: Diego
authors: D
authors: Villacreses
authors: Lucía
authors: L
authors: Romero-Huete
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Domínguez
authors: Winston
authors: W
authors: Jaramillo
authors: Gustavo S
authors: GS
authors: Escobar
authors: Faustino R
authors: FR
authors: Pérez-López
authors: Andrea R
authors: AR
authors: Genazzani
authors: Tommaso
authors: T
authors: Simoncini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors