title: Reduced circulating sTWEAK levels are associated with metabolic syndrome in elderly individuals at high cardiovascular risk.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The circulating soluble TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK) is a cytokine that modulates inflammatory and atherogenic reactions related to cardiometabolic risk. We investigated the association between sTWEAK levels and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components in older subjects at high cardiovascular risk.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional analysis of 452 non-diabetic individuals (men and women aged 55-80 years) at high cardiovascular risk. MetS was defined by AHA/NHLBI and IDF criteria. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for MetS and its components by tertiles of serum sTWEAK concentrations measured by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  sTWEAK concentrations were lower in subjects with MetS than in those without. In gender- and age-adjusted analyses, subjects in the lowest sTWEAK tertile had higher ORs for overall MetS [1.71 (95% CI, 1.07-2.72)] and its components abdominal obesity [2.01 (1.15-3.52)], hyperglycemia [1.94 (1.20-3.11)], and hypertriglyceridemia [1.73 (1.05-2.82)] than those in the upper tertile. These associations persisted after controlling for family history of diabetes and premature coronary heart disease, lifestyle, kidney function and other MetS components. sTWEAK concentrations decreased as the number of MetS components increased. Individuals in the lowest vs the upper sTWEAK tertile had an increased risk of disclosing greater number of MetS features. Adjusted ORs for individuals with 2 vs ≤1, 3 vs ≤1, and ≥4 vs ≤ 1 MetS components were 2.60 (1.09-6.22), 2.83 (1.16-6.87) and 6.39 (2.42-16.85), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In older subjects at high cardiovascular risk, reduced sTWEAK levels are associated with MetS: abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia and hyperglycemia are the main contributors to this association.
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Díaz-López
authors.forename: Mònica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bulló
authors.forename: Matilde R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Chacón
authors.forename: Ramón
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Estruch
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vendrell
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Díez-Espino
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fitó
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Corella
authors.affiliation: Human Nutrition Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, C/ Sant Llorenç, 21, Reus, Tarragona 43201, Spain. jordi.salas@urv.cat.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salas-Salvadó
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D000074049:Cytokine TWEAK; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000074049:Cytokine TWEAK; C109743:TNFSF12 protein, human; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors