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| Metabolic syndrome linked to stroke risk |
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14 February 2006
Men with the metabolic syndrome have a marked increase in the risk of having an ischaemic stroke, study results show. The metabolic syndrome is becoming more prevalent, say Dr Sudhir Kurl (University of Kuopio, Finland) and co-workers, who stress that "the threat to public health will continue to increase as the metabolic syndrome becomes more common."
The team followed-up 1131 men with no history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes for an average of 14.3 years, during which 65 strokes, including 47 ischaemic strokes, were recorded. According to National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) and World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, 114 and 187 of these men, respectively, had the metabolic syndrome. After adjustment for factors including socioeconomic status, smoking, and a family history of heart disease, men who had the metabolic syndrome, as defined by NCEP criteria, were 2.41 times more likely to have an ischemic stroke than those who did not have the syndrome. When the metabolic syndrome was defined by WHO criteria, men with the condition had a 2.16-fold increase in the risk of ischaemic stroke.
After further adjustment for factors including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration, physical activity, and plasma fibrinogen levels, the risk of ischaemic stroke increased further in men with NCEP-defined metabolic syndrome to 2.78 times that of those who did not have the condition. When the WHO definition of metabolic syndrome was used, the condition was associated with a fully adjusted 2.47-fold increase in the risk of ischaemic stroke. The fully adjusted risk for any stroke increased 2.39-fold and 2.08-fold in men with the metabolic syndrome, defined using NCEP and WHO criteria, respectively, compared with those who did not have the conditions.
Writing in the journal Stroke, the researchers comment: "Early identification, treatment, and ultimately prevention of the metabolic syndrome present a major challenge for health care professionals and public health policy-makers facing an epidemic of overweight and sedentary lifestyle."
Reference:
Stroke 2006; 37 (2): 806-811.
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