Metabolic Syndrome Sinkholes: What to Do When Occam's Razor Gets Blunted.
The real promise of the metabolic syndrome concept was the opportunity to elucidate a singular common mechanism for its component abnormalities and consequently a singular therapy. That promise has not produced. This relates to the following considerations: (1) metabolic syndrome remains a syndrome not a disease, (2) its diagnosis offers little more than what can be determined by measuring waist circumference, (3) risk assessment is not improved by the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome, (4) the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome does not impact the treatment of each component of the syndrome, and (5) there is no effective therapy for metabolic syndrome in its entirety.
Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medicine, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Western University London, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: rfeldman@uwo.ca.
Ross D
RD
Feldman
Libin Cardiovascular Institute and the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Todd J
TJ
Anderson
Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Rhian M
RM
Touyz
D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015996:Survival Rate; D055105:Waist Circumference