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Association of metabolic syndrome with insulin-like growth factors among adults in the US

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Abstract

Objective

To examine the association of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) with metabolic syndrome in a nationally representative sample.

Methods

We used data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Analysis is based on participants who provided a fasting blood sample and were aged 20 years and older (n = 5,903). Participants were classified by a number of risk factors for metabolic syndrome and stratified by diabetes status.

Results

Each of the components of metabolic syndrome (increased waist circumference, higher triglycerides, lower HDL cholesterol, higher blood pressure, higher fasting glucose and diabetes) was each associated with lower levels of IGF-I, IGF-BP3 and the Ratio IGF-I/IGF-BP3. Each of the metabolic syndrome components was also associated with higher levels of insulin. Participants with 3–5 components of metabolic syndrome had significantly lower IGF-I and higher IGF-BP3 levels compared to adults with 1–2 components or 0 components, after adjustment for potential confounders. Participants with diabetes had lower levels of IGF-I and IGF-BP3, and higher levels of insulin, regardless of the number of metabolic syndrome components.

Conclusion

These findings may prove useful to an understanding of the role of IGF-I in human disease, in particular its relation to metabolic syndrome, diabetes and potentially some cancers.

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The views and interpretations presented in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the National Cancer Institute.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Diabetes Translation, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 3311 Toledo Rd, Hyattsville, MD, 20782, USA

    Sharon Saydah

  2. Applied Research Program, Division of Cancer Control & Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, 6130 Executive Blvd, MSC 7344, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA

    Rachel Ballard-Barbash & Nancy Potischman

Authors
  1. Sharon Saydah
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  2. Rachel Ballard-Barbash
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  3. Nancy Potischman
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Correspondence to Sharon Saydah.

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Saydah, S., Ballard-Barbash, R. & Potischman, N. Association of metabolic syndrome with insulin-like growth factors among adults in the US. Cancer Causes Control 20, 1309–1316 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-009-9351-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-009-9351-x

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