Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease in a hypertriglyceridemic population.

Background: We aim to study the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS), hypertension and diabetes, and their relationship to cardiovascular disease in subjects with hypertriglyceridemia.

Methods: This is an observational cross-sectional study, uncontrolled and multicentre study. Selected subjects were patients with hypertriglyceridemia (triglycerides, TG, ≥ 200 mg/dl) visited in the Lipid Units of the Spanish Arteriosclerosis Society who met the inclusion criteria. Prevalence of MS (ATPIII and IDF criteria, MS-ATPIII or MS-IDF), hypertension and diabetes were studied. The presence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) was also determined.

Results: The results showed that individuals referred for hypertriglyceridemia had a high prevalence of MS-ATPIII 79.6% and MS-IDF 75.2%. The prevalence of MS was independent of plasma triglyceride levels. The prevalence of hypertension and diabetes were 50.9% and 33.5%, respectively. The prevalence of diabetes was double than in the general population. The prevalence of CVD was 14.6%. 95.9% of CVD events were found in patients with MS-ATPIII and only 4.1% in the group without MS-ATPIII, significant differences.

Conclusions: Hypertriglyceridemia is associated to the metabolic syndrome and diabetes, as well as the risk of CVD, independently of the levels of triglycerides. Hypertriglyceridemia may be an important marker in the screening of these severe metabolic and vascular abnormalities.