Asymptomatic firefighters with metabolic syndrome have a high incidence of both coronary and carotid premature atherosclerosis associated with increased thrombotic and inflammatory markers

Background

The metabolic syndrome (metS), a concurrence of abdominal fat, disturbed glucose and insulin metabolism, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, has been strongly associated not only with subsequent development of type 2 diabetes but also with atherothrombosis.

Objective

Apart from its effect on platelets, a procoagulant and hypofibrinolytic state has been identified. We propose that in professional firefighters with metS these thrombosis and inflammatory pathways play an important role along with traditional risk factors in promoting atherosclerosis.

Objective

Apart from its effect on platelets, a procoagulant and hypofibrinolytic state has been identified. We propose that in professional firefighters with metS these thrombosis and inflammatory pathways play an important role along with traditional risk factors in promoting atherosclerosis.

Methods

Two hundred ninety-five asymptomatic firefighters (age 47±5 years) recruited from Gwinnett County Georgia underwent clinical and serologic risk factor screening and carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) and coronary calcium score (CAC). MetS was defined as having three or more factors as defined by ATP III criteria.

Results

The prevalence of metS is 20%. Between the groups with and without metS there was a significant difference in CAC and cIMT scores ( P <.05). Along with traditional risk factors, several inflammatory and thrombotic markers ( P <.05, Table 1 ) were significantly higher in the metS+ group but no difference was noted in total calorie, % carbohydrates, or % fat intake between the two groups. After age-adjusted logistic regression analysis, PAI-1, fibrinogen, plasminogen, ferritin, WBC, and hs-CRP were significantly different between the groups.

Nov 16, 2017 | Posted by in CARDIOLOGY | Comments Off on Asymptomatic firefighters with metabolic syndrome have a high incidence of both coronary and carotid premature atherosclerosis associated with increased thrombotic and inflammatory markers

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