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Metabolic syndrome: Why the controversy?

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Abstract

As originally conceived, the metabolic syndrome defined a clustering of cardiovascular disease risk factors with insulin resistance as the common, underlying pathophysiologic determinant. The definition of the syndrome has evolved since then, with several groups proposing somewhat differing definitions. Partly, this has been motivated by efforts to make the syndrome a clinically useful entity. However, recent articles have called the clinical use of the metabolic syndrome into question. In this review, some of these concerns and counterarguments for the continued use of the metabolic syndrome are reviewed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Diabetes and Metabolism Translational Medicine Unit, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Given C331, 89 Beaumont Avenue, Burlington, VT, 05465, USA

    Richard E. Pratley MD

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  1. Richard E. Pratley MD
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Correspondence to Richard E. Pratley MD.

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Pratley, R.E. Metabolic syndrome: Why the controversy?. Curr Diab Rep 7, 56–59 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-007-0010-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-007-0010-x

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