Metabolic syndrome and carotid intima-media thickness in young adults: roles of apolipoprotein B, apolipoprotein A-I, C-reactive protein, and secretory phospholipase A2: the cardiovascular risk in young Finns study.

Description

This study sought to examine the associations of apolipoproteins (apo) B and AI, C-reactive protein (CRP) and type II secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) with the metabolic syndrome and their respective contribution to the atherogenicity of metabolic syndrome. The study population included young adults from the cardiovascular risk in young Finns study and consisted of a cross-sectional analysis (n=2,183; age=24 to 39 years) and a prospective analysis (n=1,587) with a 6-year follow-up. Results showed that young adults with the metabolic syndrome had increased serum apo B, CRP, and sPLA2 and decreased apo AI levels. The association between metabolic syndrome and incident carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) was attenuated by ≈40% after adjustment for apo B. Individuals with metabolic syndrome and high apo B had more than 3 times the relative risk of incident high cIMT compared with those without metabolic syndrome and normal apo B. However, neither CRP nor sPLA2 had an effect on the association between metabolic syndrome and cIMT. These findings suggest that elevated apo B may play a role in the metabolic syndrome and its impact on atherosclerosis.