[The clinical frame of metabolic syndrome]

The metabolic syndrome was first described as a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors; however further studies have shown the difficulty to carry out a clinical diagnosis as well as the need for laboratory tests in order to confirm it. The study of the metabolic syndrome brought about a renewed interest in the prediabetes concept and the role of insulin resistance. It is worth noting however, that not all patients with metabolic syndrome will show insulin resistance. Currently there is no single therapy available for this syndrome, therefore we need to use multiple approaches that make assessment more cumbersome. The role of adipose tissue has received considerable attention in the research of the metabolic process; moreover a preinflammatory process and coagulation have also been associated with this syndrome. The impact of the metabolic syndrome in clinical practice remains unclear.