Severity of Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Risk in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Study in a Chilean Population
Keywords:
metabolic syndrome; cardiovascular risk; elderly person; hypertension; fasting glucose; cardiovascular diseases.Abstract
Introduction: Metabolic syndrome (MS) was associated with increased cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes risk. Its dichotomous classification could limit assessment of metabolic burden, particularly in older adults.
Objective: The association between MS severity and 10-year cardiovascular risk (CVR) was evaluated in community-dwelling older adults.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 96 adults aged 60 years or older living in Antofagasta, Chile. MS was defined according to the 2009 harmonized criteria, supplemented with Latin American cut-off points for abdominal obesity. Severity was assessed using the number of components and a continuous score derived from principal component analysis. HOMA-IR, the triglyceride-glucose index (TyG), body roundness index (BRI), and CVR using the Framingham equation adapted to the Chilean population were calculated.
Results: Greater severity of metabolic syndrome (MetS) was associated with a less favorable cardiometabolic profile and higher cardiovascular risk (CVR). The proportion of participants with high CVR was 88.1 % among those with ≥ 3 MetS components, compared to 20.4 % among those with 0-2 components. In the adjusted analysis, fasting glucose ≥100 mg/dL was associated with an adjusted risk of high CVR of 83.2 %, compared to 24.2 % in those without this condition (absolute risk difference: 59.0 percentage points; 95 % CI: 43.5-73.0). Elevated blood pressure also showed a significant difference (absolute risk difference: 24.8 percentage points; 95 % CI: 10.0-38.9). The continuous metabolic severity score was higher among participants with high CVR.
Conclusions: MS severity was associated with higher 10-year CVR in older adults. Fasting glucose and blood pressure were identified as priority components for cardiovascular prevention in this age group.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Margarita Fuentes Diaz, María José Navarro Gallardo, Francisco Esteban Montenegro González, Karina Diaz Diaz
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