Table 1.
Characteristics of the study sample and prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and its defining features.
| Women n = 416 | Men n = 268 | |
| Age (years), mean (standard deviation) | 61 (10) | 62 (11) |
| Metabolic syndrome, n(%) | 97 (23.3) | 38 (14.2) |
| Number of features of the metabolic syndrome, n(%) | ||
| 0 | 59 (14.2) | 35 (13.1) |
| 1 | 123 (29.6) | 106 (39.6) |
| High blood pressure | 92 (60.9) | 11 (23.9) |
| High triglycerides | 4 (6.3) | 11 (23.9) |
| Low HDL-cholesterol | 20 (25.3) | 5(12.5) |
| Waist circumference | 5 (7.8) | 0 |
| High fasting serum glucose | 2 (3.3) | 3(7.9) |
| 2 | 137 (32.9) | 89 (33.2) |
| 3 | 55 (13.2) | 24 (9.0) |
| 4–5 | 42 (10.1) | 14 (5.2) |
| Features of the metabolic syndrome, n(%) | ||
| High blood pressure (≥ 130/85 mmHg) | 307 (73.8) | 212 (79.1) |
| High triglycerides (≥ 150 mg/dl) | 90 (21.6) | 79 (29.5) |
| Low HDL-cholesterol (< 50 mg/dl women; < 40 mg/dl men) | 66 (15.9) | 23 (8.6) |
| Waist circumference > 88 cm women or > 102 cm men | 215 (51.7) | 45 (16.8) |
| High fasting serum glucose (≥ 110 mg/dl) | 60 (14.4) | 55 (20.5) |
| Coronary heart disease, n(%) | 34 (8.2) | 30 (11.2) |
| 10-year risk of CHD (FHS risk score)* | ||
| < 5% | 104 (30.7) | 20 (9.7) |
| 5–10% | 145 (43.3) | 58 (28.2) |
| 10–15% | 57 (17.0) | 57 (27.7) |
| ≥ 15% | 30 (9.0) | 71 (34.5) |
| LVSD, n(%) | 10 (2.4) | 20 (7.5) |
| LV diameter/height (mm/m), median (interquartile range) | 30.1 (28.3–32.2) | 29.1 (27.1–31.2) |
| LV mass/height (g/m), median (interquartile range) | 103.7 (86.4–124.5) | 112.5 (92.0–136.1) |
| LV mass/height2.7 (g/m2.7), median (interquartile range) | 50.2 (40.8–61.0) | 46.6 (37.7–57.2) |
| LV mass/FFM (g/kg), median (interquartile range) | 3.97 (3.28–4.71) | 3.51 (2.87–4.20) |
| Posterior wall/height (mm/m), median (interquartile range) | 5.5 (5.1–6.2) | 5.4 (4.8–6.0) |
| Interventricular septum/height (mm/m), median (interquartile range) | 6.2 (5.6–6.8) | 5.9 (5.4–6.6) |
| Relative wall thickness, median (interquartile range) | 0.37 (0.33–0.42) | 0.37 (0.33–0.41) |
| Left atrium/height (mm/m), median (interquartile range) | 23.0 (21.3–24.8) | 21.9 (20.5–23.7) |
| E wave/A wave (peak velocity), median (interquartile range) | 0.95 (0.78–1.20) | 0.94 (0.77–1.16) |
| Diastolic dysfunction, n(%) | 97 (24.1) | 74 (29.0) |
| Stage C of heart failure (symptomatic cardiac dysfunction), n(%) | 35 (8.4) | 14 (5.2) |
*Valid values available for 541 participants.
CHD, coronary heart disease; FHS, Framingham Heart Study; LVSD, left ventricular systolic dysfunction; LV, left ventricle; FFM, fat-free mass