Metabolic Syndrome Examined in Study
South African Indians in the Phoenix community near Durban have a high risk of the metabolic syndrome (MS).
This is according to a study conducted by UKZN PhD student in the Department of Cardiology, Ms Tanya Maistry.
The metabolic syndrome a group of risk factors (including abdominal obesity, elevated triglycerides, reduced high density lipoproteins cholesterol [HDL-C], elevated blood pressure, elevated blood glucose serum levels, insulin resistance and obesity) that increases the risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke.
The term ‘metabolic’ refers to the biochemical processes involved in the body's normal functioning. Risk factors are traits, conditions, or habits that increase ‘the chance of developing a disease’.
According to Maistry her study’s findings are relatively new, ‘Some of the polymorphisms selected for this study have not been reported in South African Indians.’
She said the MS risk could lie in its components rather than in MS as an entity. ‘Data obtained in this study may allow for the implementation and development of medical interventions that could counteract susceptibility to the MS, thereby reducing the risk for cardiovascular disease.’
Maistry said the main objective of the study titled: “Genetic Contribution to the Risk for Metabolic Syndrome”, was to determine genetic patterns that may be associated with the MS.
The study also aimed to:
• Identify the prevalence of the MS in this community as determined by the latest descriptors of this condition
• Determine the prevalence of insulin resistance (IR) as defined by the Homeostatic Model Assessment (HOMA) model using serum insulin and fasting glucose levels in subjects with the MS
• Define the pattern of risk factor clustering that is associated with IR (as defined by the HOMA model)
• Identify genetic patterns of participants with the MS focusing on genes related to lipid and carbohydrate metabolism such as Apolipoprotein A5
• Identify genetic patterns of participants with the MS focusing on genes related to insulin resistance like Lipoprotein Lipase, Human Paraoxonase I and Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein
• Identify genetic patterns of subjects with MS focusing on genes related to obesity ie Adiponectin and Leptin.
Maistry said the data obtained resulted in two findings related to epidemiology and genetics.
‘In epidemiology, our results demonstrate that South African Indians from the Phoenix community present with an increased risk for the MS. Age, gender and clustering of the metabolic components influenced the results.’ IR was also observed to be the driving factor for MS pathogenesis with age, gender, clustering patterns and physical activity serving as key contributing factors.
‘In genetics, our results demonstrate the adiponectin 45T>G and the human paraoxonase 1 192Arg/Gln polymorphisms to be genetic markers that may assist in identifying participants who are susceptible to hypocholesterolemia (in males with the MS and with IR) and hypertension (in males with the MS), respectively. The lipoprotein lipase HinfI and human paraoxonase 1 192Arg/Gln polymorphisms associated with IR may also serve as genetic markers that may assist in identifying males with MS who are susceptible to hypertension. Gene-environmental associations exerted a degree of protection against the risk for the MS and IR.’
Maistry, who says she produces her best work under pressure, recently submitted her dissertation for examination. ‘This PhD experience was time consuming and many sacrifices were made in order to achieve my goals.’
Nombuso Dlamini