Association of Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components with Survival of Older Adults

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) as an important risk factor arising from insulin resistance accompanying abnormal adipose deposition and function has become a major challenge to public health around the world.

This research was conducted to evaluate the association of MetS and its components with survival of older adults.

This prospective study is a part of the Amirkola Health and Ageing Cohort Project (2011 - 2017) conducted among 1562 older adults (aged 60 years and over) living in Amirkola, north of Iran. MetS was defined according to four sets of definition: Iranian definition, International Diabetes Federation (IDF) definition, 2001 Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III and 2005 Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III.

Eight hundred sixty-three (55.2%) males and 699 (44.8%) females with a mean age of 69.3 ± 7.4 years were included in the research. The results showed that 71.9%, 74.3%, 68.8% and 66.7% of older adults had MetS based on 2005 ATP III, Iranian, IDF and 2001 ATP III diagnostic criteria, respectively. Only raised fasting plasma glucose (FPG) had a significant association with a five-year survival rate of older adults (FPG ≥ 110mg/dL: adjusted HR: 2.05; 95% CI: 1.51 - 2.78; P < 0.001). Other MetS components did not show any significant associations with survival (P > 0.05). Nevertheless, MetS itself significantly decreased the survival rate of older adults after adjusting age, gender and number of chronic diseases (HR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.16 - 2.41; P = 0.006).

MetS and one of its components, high FPG, have significant associations with survival of older adults.