Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome according to Sasang Constitutional Medicine in Korean Subjects

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a complex disorder defined by a cluster of abdominal obesity, atherogenic dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension; the condition is recognized as a risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This study assessed the effects of the Sasang constitution group (SCG) on the risk of MS in Korean subjects. We have analyzed 1,617 outpatients of Korean oriental medicine hospitals who were classified into three SCGs, So-Yang, So-Eum, and Tae-Eum. Significant differences were noted in the prevalence of MS and the frequencies of all MS risk factors among the three SCGs. The odds ratios for MS as determined via multiple logistic regression analysis were 2.004 for So-Yang and 4.521 for Tae-Eum compared with So-Eum. These results indicate that SCG may function as a significant risk factor of MS; comprehensive knowledge of Sasang constitutional medicine may prove helpful in predicting susceptibility and developing preventive care techniques for MS.