Prevalence for the Cluster of Risk Factors of the Metabolic Vascular Syndrome in a Working Population in Germany

Background

For the last 50 years we have observed an increasing prevalence of a cluster of diseases in the general population – obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia – which are closely interrelated and strongly depend on environmental factors [1] [2]. The association of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases led to the hypothesis that both arise from common soil like abdominal obesity and insulin resistance and other common risk factors [3]. The biological mechanisms interlinking the two diseases remain unclear. Plausible pathophysiological mechanisms involve direct neuroendocrine effects and indirect effects mediated by adverse health behaviors [4] [5]. The so called Metabolic Vascular Syndrome (MVS) – specified with a Practical Guideline Metabolic Vascular Syndrome – describes a cluster of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes like abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, atherogenic dyslipidemia, high blood pressure, and prothrombotic and proinflammatory states in adherence to the definition of the National Cholesterol Education Program – adult treatment panel III (ATPIII) – but added by the postprandial plasma glucose. Occupational stress has been linked with coronary heart disease in retrospective and prospective studies [6]. Previous studies showed that the social background determines the association between occupational stress and the MVS. Accordingly less advantaged social groups are afflicted by a high prevalence of the MVS as well as heart disease possibly attributed to greater exposure to occupational stress [7]. In some cross-sectional studies occupational stress was linked with components of the syndrome, but this association is not consistent throughout [8] [9]. The present study was aimed to assess the prevalence of the MVS and its single components within an occupational health care setting.

References

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Correspondence