title: Metabolic Syndrome Is a Strong Risk Factor for Minor Ischemic Stroke and Subsequent Vascular Events.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Minor ischemic stroke (MIS) represents a major global public health problem worldwide due to high incidence. The aim of this study was to investigate whether metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a strong risk for MIS and subsequent vascular events (SVE).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort study was performed examining symptomatic MIS in a Chinese neurologic outpatient population aged over 25 years without history of stroke. MetS was defined using the International Diabetes Federation criteria. MIS was diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging-diffusion weighted images or fluid-attenuated inversion recovery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 1361 outpatients, a total of 753 (55.3%) patients were diagnosed with MIS; of them, 80% had a score of 0 using the MIS had a 0 score on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale. Among these, 303 (40.2%) individuals with MIS were diagnosed with MetS. Diagnosed of MIS with MetS significantly correlated with abdominal obesity (30.7% v.s 18.0%), hypertension (91.1% v.s 81.6%), increased blood glucose (6.9±2.4 v.s 5.0±0.4), dyslipidemia (78.2% v.s 48.2%), and SVE (50.5% v.s 11.3%) when compared with the controls group. On adjusted analysis, the risk of SVE was also significantly associated with three additional MetS criterion (RR,9.0; 95% CI, 5.677-14.46). Using Cox proportional analysis, risk of SVE in patient with MIS was significantly associated with MetS (RR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.799-6.210), older age (RR, 1.0; 95% CI, 1.001-1.048), and high blood glucose (RR,1.1; 95%CI, 1.007-1.187).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MetS is a strong risk factor for MIS, and patients presenting with MIS and MetS are at a high risk of SVE. Further studies are required to determine the improvement of Mets prevention in the reduction of MIS and SVE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Affiliated Shu Yang People's Hospital, XuZhou Medical University, XuZhou, China.
authors.forename: Guang-Sheng
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Affiliated Shu Yang People's Hospital, XuZhou Medical University, XuZhou, China.
authors.forename: Dao-Ming
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Affiliated Shu Yang People's Hospital, XuZhou Medical University, XuZhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Affiliated Shu Yang People's Hospital, XuZhou Medical University, XuZhou, China.
authors.forename: Tong-Hui
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Research, Affiliated Shu Yang People's Hospital, XuZhou Medical University, XuZhou, China.
authors.forename: Ye-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of science and education, Affiliated Shu Yang People's Hospital, XuZhou Medical University, XuZhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Bo
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000150:complications; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000150:complications; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology*