Cardiac Insulin Resistance in Subjects With Metabolic Syndrome Traits and Early Subclinical Atherosclerosis

OBJECTIVE: Experimental evidence suggests that metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with changes in cardiac metabolism. Whether this association occurs in humans is unknown. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: 821 asymptomatic individuals from the Progression of Early Subclinical Atherosclerosis (PESA) study (50.6 [46.9–53.6] years, 83.7% male) underwent two whole-body (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-magnetic resonance ((18)F-FDG PET-MR) 4.8 ± 0.6 years apart. Presence of myocardial (18)F-FDG uptake was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively. No myocardial uptake was grade 0, while positive uptake was classified in grades 1–3 according to target-to-background ratio tertiles. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-six participants (19.0%) showed no myocardial (18)F-FDG uptake, and this was significantly associated with higher prevalence of MetS (29.0% vs. 13.9%, P < 0.001), hypertension (29.0% vs. 18.0%, P = 0.002), and diabetes (11.0% vs. 3.2%, P < 0.001), and with higher insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR, 1.64% vs. 1.23%, P < 0.001). Absence of myocardial uptake was associated with higher prevalence of early atherosclerosis (i.e., arterial (18)F-FDG uptake, P = 0.004). On follow-up, the associations between myocardial (18)F-FDG uptake and risk factors were replicated, and MetS was more frequent in the group without myocardial uptake. The increase in HOMA-IR was associated with a progressive decrease in myocardial uptake (P < 0.001). In 82% of subjects, the categorization according to presence/absence of myocardial (18)F-FDG uptake did not change between baseline and follow-up. MetS regression on follow-up was associated with a significant (P < 0.001) increase in myocardial uptake. CONCLUSIONS: Apparently healthy individuals without cardiac (18)F-FDG uptake have higher HOMA-IR and higher prevalence of MetS traits, cardiovascular risk factors, and early atherosclerosis. An improvement in cardiometabolic profile is associated with the recovery of myocardial (18)F-FDG uptake at follow-up.