Table 1.

Clinical disorders that contribute to the metabolic syndrome and methods of measurement

Disorder	Method/parameter measured	Reference
Obesity	DEXA scan, body mass index, lean muscle mass, bodyweight	Bonora et al. (2003), Reilly & Rader (2003)
Insulin resistance	Euglycaemic/hyperinsulinaemic clamp, fasting plasma insulin and glucose concentrations, oral glucose tolerance test	Bonora et al. (2003), Reilly & Rader (2003)
Hypertension	Sphygmomanometry, automated plethysmography	Bonora et al. (2003), Reilly & Rader (2003)
Dyslipidaemia	Plasma LDL:HDL cholesterol ratios, fasting plasma triglyceride concentrations, cholesterol flux	Bonora et al. (2003), Reilly & Rader (2003)
Inflammatory response	Plasma cytokine concentration, serum soluble cell adhesion molecule concentrations, plasma C-Reactive Protein concentrations	Riserus et al. 2002, Bonora et al. (2003), Reilly & Rader (2003)
Oxidative status	Plasma isoprostane concentrations, concentration of plasma antibodies to oxidized LDL cholesterol, superoxide generation and scavenging capacity (erythrocyte glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase activity)	Riserus et al. 2002, Bonora et al. (2003)
Leptin insensitivity	Plasma leptin:body fat ratios, plasma leptin concentrations	Arch et al. (1998), Bonora et al. (2003)
Endothelial dysfunction	Brachial artery plethysmography, reactive hyperaemia	Bonora et al. (2003)

Abbreviations: LDL, low density lipoprotein; HDL, high density lipoprotein.