Metabolic Syndrome and All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality in an Italian Elderly Population

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore the association of metabolic syndrome and each of its components with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in a general Italian elderly population. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Metabolic syndrome, diagnosed by National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria, all-cause mortality, and cardiovascular mortality, was evaluated in 2,910 subjects aged > or =65 years of the Progetto Veneto Anziani (Pro.V.A.) Study during a mean follow-up time of 4.4 years. RESULTS: After multivariable adjustment, metabolic syndrome was associated with increased all-cause mortality in all subjects (hazard ratio 1.41 [95% CI 1.16-1.72], P = 0.001), among men (1.42 [1.06-1.89], P = 0.017), and among women (1.47 [1.13-1.91], P = 0.004). High glucose in all subjects (1.27 [1.02-1.59], P = 0.037) and in women (1.61 [1.16-2.24], P = 0.005) and low HDL cholesterol in women (1.48 [1.08-2.02], P = 0.014) were predictors of all-cause mortality, even independently of the interactions of different metabolic syndrome components. After multivariable adjustment, metabolic syndrome was also associated with increased cardiovascular mortality in all subjects (1.60 [1.17-2.19], P = 0.003), among men (1.66 [1.00-2.76], P = 0.051), and among women (1.60 [1.06-2.33], P = 0.025). High glucose (2.17 [1.28-3.68], P = 0.004) and low HDL cholesterol (1.78 [1.07-2.95], P = 0.026) among women predicted higher cardiovascular mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In this general Italian elderly population, among metabolic syndrome components, all-cause mortality is better predicted by high glucose in all subjects and in women and by low HDL cholesterol in women, whereas cardiovascular mortality is better predicted by high glucose and low HDL cholesterol in women.