Calcium and Phosphate Levels are Among Other Factors Associated with Metabolic Syndrome in Patients with Normal Weight

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We aimed to assess the association between calcium and phosphorous and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in normal-weight individuals. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study sample comprised 460 normal-weight (body mass index <25kg/m(2)) adults aged 18–35 years. The diagnosis of MetS was based on the presence of at least two of the following: 1) systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥130 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥85 mmHg, 2) triglycerides (TG) >150 mg/dl, 3) high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) <1 mmol/in men and <1.2 mmol/l in women, 4) total cholesterol (TC) >5.2 mmol/l, and 5) fasting glucose (FBG) >5.55 mmol/l. RESULTS: Patients with MetS were more often male and slightly older and they had a higher body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. By definition, patients with MetS had higher levels of BP, GLC, glycated hemoglobin A1c, TC, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), TG, and apolipoprotein B but significantly lower concentrations of HDL-C and apolipoprotein A. Moreover, subjects with MetS had higher activity of the liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGTP). Higher concentrations of uric acid, creatinine and albumin (ALB) were also observed in subjects with MetS. The factors associated with MetS in the multivariate analysis were higher GGTP activity (OR per 5 unit increase – 1.23 (1.11–1.37); p<0.0001), a higher BMI (OR – 1.28 (1.1–1.52); p=0.003), a higher concentration of calcium (OR per 0.1 mmol/l increase – 1.79 (1.21–2.7); p=0.004), higher ALB levels (OR per 5 g/l increase – 1.76 (1.11–2.95), p=0.02); higher phosphorous levels (OR per 0.1 mmol/l increase – 0.82 (0.67–0.99); p=0.04), and a good household situation (odds ratio (OR) – 0.58 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.31–1.07); p=0.08). CONCLUSION: Calcium and phosphorus levels are significantly associated with MetS in normal-weight individuals.