An integrative review of associations between polymorphic variants and the metabolic syndrome

The pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome, i.e. of each of its components, is complex and has not been entirely elucidated. As a result, it is very difficult to establish a definition of which clinical factors are the most important determinants of its development. The objective of this review is to describe Brazilian scientific research investigating associations between the metabolic syndrome and genetic factors. We selected fifteen studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Our analysis revealed that there is a modest volume of Brazilian studies investigating relationships between genes, their polymorphic variants and the metabolic syndrome and its risk factors. Therefore, more studies are needed to better understand the biological roles played by genetic polymorphisms and their relationships with metabolic syndrome or its risk factors.