Objective: To investigate the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) complicated in metabolic syndrome (MS) and its risk factors.
Methods: The clinical data of 2115 in-patients and out-patients with MS, 1132 males and 983 females, aged 67.6 +/- 5.1 (32 approximately 91), diagnosed and treated in several hospitals in Beijing and Shanghai, were collected. The patients underwent measurement of the systolic pressures of the brachial artery and ankle artery so as to calculate the ankle-brachial index (ABI). An ABI less than 0.9 was considered to be indicative of significant PAD. The data underwent statistical analysis.
Results: 476 patients (22.5%) were found to have PAD, among which 246 were male aged 71.3 +/- 9.4 (51.68%) and 230 were female (48.32%) aged 71.2 +/- 8.2. The risk of PAD among then MS patients became higher along with the increase of age (OR = 1.069, 95% CI = 1.054 - 1.083), gender (OR = 1.498, 95% CI = 1.091 - 2.058), smoking status (OR = 1.763, 95% CI = 1.294 - 2.402), history of coronary heart disease, history of diabetes mellitus, and history of stroke were independently associated with low ABI (ABI < 0.9) (all P < 0.05). Higher blood urea nitrogen, creatine (CRE), and uric acid values of the female MS patients complicated by PAD was 7 mmol/L +/- 4 mmol/L, 101 mmol/L +/- 77 mmol/L, and 343 mmol/L +/- 115 mmol/L respectively, all significantly higher than those of the female MS patients not complicated by PAD (6 mmol/L +/- 4 mmol/L, 84 mmol/L +/- 70 mmol/L, and 308 mmol/L +/- 100 mmol/L respectively, P < 0.0001, P = 0.002, and P < 0.001). However, the BUN value of the male patients with MS complicated by PAD was 7.2 mmol/L +/- 4.9 mmol/L, significantly higher than that of the male MS patients nor complicated b PAD (6.5 mmol/L +/- 4.3 mmol/L, P = 0.036), however, he values of CRE and UA of the male MS patients complicated and not complicated by PAD were not significantly different (both P > 0.05), only the value of BUN of the of the male MS patients complicated by PAD was 7.2 +/- 4.9 at high risk of PAD in female patients, NOT in male patients except BUN value (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Patients with MS have high risk of complication by PAD, especially when they become older. Female patients with MS are more likely to have a trend towards kidney dysfunction.