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. 2024 Nov 4;23(2):1719–1752. doi: 10.1007/s40200-024-01500-9

Table 2.

Association between heavy metal exposure with risk of metabolic syndrome according to type of exposure and outcome

Author, Year Type of metal Unit of exposure (categorical/continues) Outcome Unit of outcome(categorical/continues) Definition of outcome Statistical measure (SE) Results Significant association Country
Lead (pb)
Rotter et al.2015

lead

(μg/dL)

Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on criteria of IDF OR(95% CI) 1.12(0.75,1.68) No Poland
Rhee et al. 2013

lead

(μg/dL)

Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 2.57 (1.46,4.51) Yes South Korea
Park et al. 2020

lead

(μg/dL)

Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI)

Male:0.97(0.38,2.45)

Female: 0.04(0.001,1.67)

No Republic of Korea
Moon et al.2014

lead

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 1.07(0.79,1.5) Yes South Korea
Lee et al. 2012

lead

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q3/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 0.97(0.819,1.141) No South Korea
Lee et al. 2017

lead

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q3/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 1.37(1.02,1.84) Yes South Korea
Lee et al. 2016

lead

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q3/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 0.80 (0.60,1.049) No South Korea
Jin et al. 2013

lead

(μg/dL)

Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 1.61(1.15,2.24) Yes China
Guo et al. 2019

lead

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 1.81(0.83,3.92) No China
Duc et al. 2021

lead

(μg/dL)

Continues MetS Categorical American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for clinical diagnosis OR(95% CI) 1.14(1.03,1.26) Yes Korea
Bulka et al. 2019

lead

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q3/q1) MetS Categorical

The definition of MetS was based on the harmonized

definition for MetS

OR(95% CI) 0.82 (0.54, 1.04) No USA
Kaminska et al. 2020

lead

(μg/dL)

Continues MetS Categorical

American Heart

Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (AHA/NHLBI), 2009

OR(95% CI) 0.33(0.17,0.60) Yes Poland
Park et al. 2018

lead

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) MetS Categorical

The definition of MetS using abdominal obesity diagnostic criteria published by

the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity (KSSO)

OR(95% CI)

Male: 1.17(1.01,1.36)

Female: 1.09(0.93,1.29)

Male: Yes

Female: No

Korea
Shim et al. 2019

lead

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 0.86(0.65,1.14) No South Korea
Wen et al. 2020

lead

(μg/dL)

Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 0.86(0.61,1.2) No Taiwan
Mercury
Rotter et al. 2015

Mercury

(μg/dL)

Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on IDF OR(95% CI) 1.18(0.79,1.77) No Poland
Rhee et al. 2013

Mercury

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) Mets Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 1.19 (0.76–1.87) No South Korea
Park et al. 2020

Mercury

(μg/dL)

Continues Mets Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI)

Male:0.79(0.53,1.18)

Female: 0.73(0.34,1.58)

No Republic of Korea
Moon et al. 2014

Mercury

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 1.13(0.86,1.49) No South Korea
Lee et al. 2012

Mercury

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q3/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 0.994(0.870,1.136) No South Korea
Lee et al. 2017

Mercury

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q3/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 1.43 (1.05,1.94) Yes South Korea
Lee et al. 2016

Mercury

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q3/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 0.96 (0.79,1.16) No South Korea
Duc et al. 2021

Mercury

(μg/dL)

Continues MetS Categorical American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for clinical diagnosis OR(95% CI) 1.03(1.02,1.06) Yes Korea
Bulka et al. 2019 methylmercury (µg/dL) Categorical(q3/q1) MetS Categorical

The definition of MetS was based on the harmonized

definition for MetS

OR(95% CI) 1.10 (0.91–1.33) No USA
Shim et al. 2019

Mercury

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 0.99(0.73,1.34) No South Korea
Chung et al. 2015

Mercury

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) Men: 1.62(1.15,1.36) Yes South Korea
Women: 0.84(0.57,1.24) No
Eom et al. 2014

Mercury

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q3/q1) Mets Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR (95%CI) 1.68 (1.25–2.25) Yes South Korea
Lee et al. 2018

Mercury

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) Mets Categorical

The definition of MetS was based on the harmonized

definition for MetS 2009

OR (95%CI) Overall: 2.02(1.59,2.56) Yes South Korea
Men: 1.97(1.39,2.79)
Women: 1.90(1.34,2.70)
Cadmium
Rotter et al. 2015

Cadmium

(μg/dL)

Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on criteria of IDF OR(95% CI) 1.11(0.75,1.67) No Poland
Rhee et al. 2013

Cadmium

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) Mets Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 1.09 (0.65–1.83) No South Korea
Park et al. 2020

Cadmium

(μg/dL)

Continues Mets Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI)

Male:1.28(0.13,12.20)

Female: 33.79 (0.32,3596.31)

No Republic of Korea
Moon et al. 2014

Cadmium

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 0.91(0.73,1.14) No South Korea
Lee et al. 2012

Cadmium

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q3/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR ( 95% CI) 1.23(1.047,1.447) Yes South Korea
Lee et al. 2017

Cadmium

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q3/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR ( 95% CI) 1.10 (0.76,1.59) No South Korea
Lee et al. 2016

Cadmium

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q3/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 1.31 (1.05,1.62) Yes South Korea
Jin et al. 2013

Cadmium

(μg/dL)

Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 1.58(1.15,2.2) Yes China
Han et al. 2015

Cadmium

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI)

Female: 0.52(0.23,1.19)

Male: 3.05(1.38,6.70)

No Republic of Korea
Guo et al. 2019

Cadmium

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 2.2(1.03,4.72) Yes China
Duc et al. 2021

Cadmium

(μg/dL)

Continues MetS Categorical American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for clinical diagnosis OR(95% CI) 1.01(1.04,1.14) Yes Korea
Chromium
Rotter et al. 2015

Chrome

(μg/dL)

Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on IDF OR(95% CI) 0.92(0.60,0.78) Yes Poland
Jin et al. 2013

Chrome

(μg/dL)

Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 0.65(0.48,0.78) Yes China
Chen et al. 2020

Chromium

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) MetS Categorical

The definition of MetS was based on the harmonized

definition for MetS in 2009

OR(95% CI) 0.62(0.49,0.78) Yes China
Manganese
Lo et al. 2021

Manganese

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) Mets Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR (95%CI) Overall: 0.66(0.38,1.14) No China
Men: 0.5(0.21,1.17) No
Women: 0.89(0.45,1.77) No
Rotter et al. 2015 Manganese (μg/dL) Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on IDF OR (95%CI) 1.19(0.79,1.78) No Poland
Rhee et al. 2013 Manganese (μg/dL) Categorical(q4/q1) Mets Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR (95%CI) 1.22 (0.76–1.97) Yes South Korea
Bulka et al. 2019 Manganese (μg/dL) Categorical(q3/q1) MetS Categorical

The definition of MetS was based on the harmonized

definition for MetS

PR (95% CI) 1.04 (0.87–1.23) No USA
Jin et al. 2013

Manganese

(μg/dL)

Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR (95%CI) 1.48(1.09,2.18) Yes China
Copper
Rotter et al. 2015

Copper

(mg/dL)

Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on IDF OR (95%CI) 0.90(0.60,1.35) No Poland
Jin et al. 2013

Copper

(mg/dL)

Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR (95%CI) 1.4(1.1,2) Yes China
Guo et al. 2019

Copper

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 3.13(1.47,6.63) Yes China
Fang et al. 2019

Copper

mg/L

Categorical(q3/q1) MetS Categorical

based on the Chinese guidelines for the prevention

and treatment of dyslipidaemia in adults (2007)

OR(95% CI)

Male:0.91(0.49,1.70)

Female:1.28(0.81,2.01)

No China
El Sayed et al. 2017

Copper

(μg/dL)

Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 0.91(0.62,1.12) No Egypt
Bulka et al. 2019

Copper

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q3/q1) MetS Categorical

The definition of MetS was based on the harmonized

definition for MetS

PR (95% CI) 0.94 (0.80–1.11) No USA
Lu et al. 2021

Iron

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 2.02 (1.25–3.25) Yes Taiwan
Magnesium
El Sayed et al. 2017

Magnesium

(mg/L)

Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 0.32(0.15,0.56) Yes Egypt
Rotter et al. 2015 Magnesium (mg/L) Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on IDF OR(95% CI) 0.57(0.38,0.85) Yes Poland
Jin et al. 2013

Magnesium

(mg/L)

Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 1.23(0.89,1.68) No China
Iron
Rotter et al. 2015 Iron (μg /dL) Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on IDF Mean (SD)

MetS: 1.19 (0.45)

Controls: 1.23 (0.43)

MetS/Controls: No Poland
Jin et al. 2013 Iron (μg /dL) Continues MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III Mean (SD)

MetS: 15.52 (7.29)

Controls: 15.84 (7.54)

No China
Arredondo et al. 2011

Iron

(μg/dL)

Continues Mets Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III Mean (SD)

MetS: 146.6 (59.2)

Controls: 121.3 (51.9)

MetS/Controls: Yes Chile
Stechemesser et al. 2017

Iron

(μg/dL)

Continues Mets Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III Mean (SD)

MetS: 99.8(32.2)

Controls:108.3(34.5)

No Austria
Ghamarchehreh et al. 2016

Iron

(μg/dL)

Continues Mets Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III Mean (SD)

MetS: 151.86(490.62)

Controls:108.92(39.37)

No Iran
Tavakoli-Hoseini et al. 2014

Iron

(μg/dL)

Continues Mets Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III Mean (SD)

MetS: 133.2(64.8)

Controls:102.4(44.7)

Yes Iran
Kilani et al. 2015

Iron

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) Mets Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR (95%CI) Men: 0.81(0.53,1.24) No Switzerland
Women: 0.51(0.33,0.80) Yes
Chen et al. 2020

Iron

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) MetS Categorical

The definition of MetS was based on the harmonized

definition for MetS in 2009

OR(95% CI) 0.79(0.69,0.91) Yes China
Lu et al. 2021

Iron

(μg/dL)

Categorical(q4/q1) MetS Categorical Definition of MetS based on NECP ATP III OR(95% CI) 2.11 (1.24–3.62) Yes Taiwan