Age, gender and metabolic syndrome-related coronary heart disease in U.S. adults

Background Metabolic syndrome (MetS), a clustering of several prominent risk factors for atherosclerosis, is common among U.S. populations. The contribution of MetS to the prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in different age–gender groups is currently unknown. Methods MetS was defined according to the definition of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. CHD was defined as having had a diagnosed heart attack in self-reported medical history. Data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) were used to evaluate the MetS-associated CHD prevalences in different age–gender subpopulations, which include 35- to 54-year-old women, 55- to 74-year-old women, 35- to 54-year-old men, and 55- to 74-year-old men. Results The prevalences of MetS in these 4 age–gender subpopulations are 21%, 24%, 39%, and 38%, respectively. The odds ratios (and the 95% confidence intervals) of MetS to increased CHD in each subpopulations are 1.05 (0.40–2.79), 1.95 (1.19–3.20), 2.22 (1.03–4.81), and 1.96 (1.41–2.70), respectively. Conclusions MetS-associated CHD prevalence in women aged 35–54 years is almost the same as in the control, whereas in women aged 55–74 and in men aged 35–54 or 55–74, this prevalence is about 2-fold that of the control. Endogenous estrogen may play a role in suppressing the pro-atherosclerotic effects of MetS-related risk factors, but further studies are needed for a more certain conclusion.