Reaven syndrome

Reaven syndrome

Professor Gerald M. Reaven from the Stanford University School of Medicine described a clustering of hyperinsulinemia, hypertension, low HDL cholesterol levels, and hypertriglyceridemia associated with obesity in a condition which he termed “Syndrome X” [1,2]. The metabolic syndrome X should not be confused with another syndrome X in which anginal pain is associated with normal epicardial coronary arteries on coronary angiography.

National Cholesterol Education Program Adult treatment panel Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III has formulated five criteria of which at least three should be present for a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome: (1) Waist circumference more than 102 cm in men and 88 cm in women; (2) Serum triglyceride levels of 150 mg/dl or more; (3) HDL cholesterol below 40 mg/dl in men and below 50 mg/dl in women; (4) Blood pressure of 130/85 mm Hg or more; and (5) Serum glucose concentration of 110 mg/dl or more.

Metabolic syndrome is associated with a high risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Risk of chronic kidney disease is also increased in metabolic syndrome.

References

1. G M Reaven. Banting lecture 1988. Role of insulin resistance in human disease. Diabetes. 1988 Dec;37(12):1595-607.
2. G M Reaven. Pathophysiology of insulin resistance in human disease. Physiol Rev. 1995 Jul;75(3):473-86.