Aim: in this study we report the relationship between fasting plasma insulin, C-reactive protein, adiponectin levels and the components of metabolic syndrome.
Methods: for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome we used the modified NCEP ATP criteria for Asian people. Complete routine physical examinations were performed to all subjects including blood pressure, waist circumference. After 12-hours fasting, blood sample was taken for fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, and lipid profiles. Fasting insulin was determined by RIA, adiponectin by ELISA, and hs-CRP by sensitive immunometric assay. According to NCEP ATP III, the metabolic syndrome consists of five components. Subjects fulfilling the studied criteria were divided into five groups according to the component/components they had.
Results: during the study, 118 adult individuals can be covered, including 88 patients (68,8%) with metabolic syndrome. They consist of 19 subjects who had only 1 component, 21 subjects had 2 components, 31 subjects with 3 components, 34 subjects with 4 components, and 23 subjects had 5 component. All subjects were overweight/obese (BMI > 23 kg/m), but patients with metabolic syndrome were significantly more obese compared to the non-metabolic syndrome (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in age among all individuals. Fasting insulin, hs-CRP levels is increasing with the increasing number of components of metabolic syndrome, being higher among those with 3-5 components, while adiponectin is decreasing with the number of the components. Fasting insulin 3,5+1,1 uU/ml, 3,6+1,4 uU/ml, 5,9+1,8 uU/ml, 7,8+2,1 uU/ml, 7,9+2,3 uU/ml respectively, hs-CRP 2,8+1,2 mg/L, 5.6+3.4 mg/L, 7.4+4.4 mg/L, 9.0+4.7 mg/L, 9.5+3,9 mg/L, and adiponectin 9.1+3.5 ng/ml, 8.6+1.6 ng/ml, 3.4+1.2 ng/ml, 3.2+1.3 ng/ml, 2.8+0.9 ng/ml in 3,4,5 components respectively.
Conclusion: there is a relationship between the number of components of metabolic syndrome and the increasing levels of fasting insulin, and hs-CRP, and low levels of adiponectin. These may explain in part the risk of cardiovascular events among individuals with metabolic syndrome.