Korean J Intern Med.  2013 Mar;28(2):206-215. 10.3904/kjim.2013.28.2.206.

Is the frequency of metabolic syndrome higher in South Korean women with rheumatoid arthritis than in healthy subjects?

• Lee SG
• Kim JM
• Lee SH
• Kim KH
• Kim JH
• Yi JW
• Jung WJ
• Park YE
• Park SH
• Lee JW
• Baek SH
• Lee JH
• Kim GT

• KMID: 1501776
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2013.28.2.206

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
To compare the frequency of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and magnitude of insulin resistance, measured by the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), between South Korean women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and healthy subjects, and to evaluate risk factors for MetS and increased HOMA-IR in patients with RA.
METHODS
In a cross-sectional setting, 84 female patients with RA and 109 age-matched healthy female subjects were consecutively recruited at a university-affiliated rheumatology center in South Korea. MetS was defined according to the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP-ATP III) 2004 criteria.
RESULTS
The frequency of MetS did not differ significantly between patients with RA (19%) and healthy subjects (15.6%, p = 0.566), although patients with RA had a higher HOMA-IR compared with healthy subjects (p < 0.001). Patients with RA met the NCEP-ATP III 2004 criteria for high blood pressure more often than healthy subjects (44% vs. 19.3%, p < 0.001), and low high density lipoprotein cholesterol was more prevalent in healthy subjects (33%) than in patients with RA (14.3%, p = 0.004). Although no obvious risk factors for the presence of MetS were identified in patients with RA, higher serum C-reactive protein and disease activity score assessed using the 28-joint count for swelling and tenderness-erythrocyte sedimentation rate significantly contributed to a higher HOMA-IR.
CONCLUSIONS
Despite their increased insulin resistance, South Korean women with RA did not have a significantly higher frequency of MetS compared with that in healthy subjects.

Keyword

Arthritis, rheumatoid; Metabolic syndrome X; Insulin resistance; Cardiovascular diseases

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Arthritis, Rheumatoid/diagnosis/*epidemiology
Biological Markers/blood
Case-Control Studies
Chi-Square Distribution
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Insulin Resistance
Linear Models
Logistic Models
Metabolic Syndrome X/blood/diagnosis/*epidemiology
Middle Aged
Multivariate Analysis
Odds Ratio
Prevalence
Republic of Korea/epidemiology
Risk Assessment
Risk Factors
Sex Factors
Young Adult
Biological Markers