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Horm Metab Res 2007; 39(9): 642-650
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-985822
Review

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

The Metabolic Syndrome and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes: Experiences with the New Diagnostic Criteria from the International Diabetes Federation

C. H. Saely[*] 1 , 2 , P. Rein[*] 1 , 2 , H. Drexel 1 , 2 , 3 , 4
  • 1Vorarlberg Institute for Vascular Investigation and Treatment (VIVIT), Feldkirch, Austria
  • 2Department of Medicine, Academic Teaching Hospital Feldkirch, Feldkirch, Austria
  • 3University for Human Sciences, Triesen, Principality of Liechtenstein
  • 4Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Further Information

Publication History

received 15.05.2007

accepted 09.07.2007

Publication Date:
10 September 2007 (online)

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Abstract

Since the publication of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) consensus definition of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in 2005, numerous studies have compared the new IDF MetS category with previous MetS definitions in its association with the prevalence of cardiovascular disease, and in its ability to predict vascular events and incident diabetes. The present review shows that the amount of cardiovascular risk conferred by the respective MetS definitions varies between populations; in most populations it is lower with the IDF MetS than with alternative MetS definitions. For incident diabetes, the number of existing studies appears too limited to draw definite conclusions. Like earlier definitions of the MetS, the IDF MetS is based on distinctive cutoff points for MetS stigmata, neglecting the fact that the risk factors are continuous and not categorical variables.

Key words

Metabolic syndrome - cardiovascular disease - diabetes

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1 C. H. Saely and P. Rein contributed equally to this work.

Correspondence

H. DrexelMD 

Vorarlberg Institute for Vascular Investigation and Treatment (VIVIT)

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6800 Feldkirch

Austria

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