Antioxidants, trace elements and metabolic syndrome in elderly subjects

To examine whether concentrations of several trace elements and activities of several antioxidant enzymes are modified in metabolic syndrome, and to evaluate their possible association with metabolic syndrome components. Additionally, concentration of CRP, as a marker of inflammation, was measured.

Cross-sectional study.

The study group consisted of 100 subjects, aged 71-88 years.

Anthropometric measurements and biochemical analyses of fasting blood samples were performed by standardized methods. According to the International Diabetic Federation (IDF) criteria, metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 64 subjects. Whole blood glutathione peroxidase (GPx), erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), serum selenium (SSe), copper (SCu) and zinc (SZn), glucose, lipoprotein profile and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined in all subjects.

No clear influence of metabolic syndrome on SSe, SZn and SCu concentration and SOD and CAT activity was found. However, significantly higher GPx was found in subjects with metabolic syndrome than in subjects without metabolic syndrome (p=0.029), as well as in subjects with hypertriglyceridemia than in control subjects (p=0.038). After adjusting for potentially confounding variables by multiple regression, significant positive relationship between SCu and CRP was found, indicating that elevated levels of Cu could have influence on inflammatory mechanisms.

Our results suggest that GPx and CRP, as biomarkers of oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, respectively, have significant role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome.