Differences in the characteristics of the study patients
| Variables | Non-MS (n=58) | MS (n=20) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Socio-demographic parameters | |||
| Age (yr) | 50.6±5.8 | 52.6±5.9 | 0.184 |
| Smoking status | 0.009 | ||
| Never | 38 (65.5) | 6 (30.0) | |
| Current | 20 (34.5) | 14 (70.0) | |
| Alcohol consumer | 45 (77.6) | 18 (90.0) | 0.191 |
| Activity (METS/week) | 1,315.1±1,738.9 | 1,111.3±1,091.2 | 0.870 |
| Dietary parameters | |||
| Energy intake (kcal/day) | 1,986.9±294.8 | 2,127.0±387.4 | 0.096 |
| Protein intake (g/day) | 82.5±19.7 | 91.6±23.1 | 0.093 |
| Fat intake (g/day) | 45.6±13.0 | 51.5±17.6 | 0.119 |
| Carbohydrate intake (g/day) | 311.5±44.5 | 324.4±52.8 | 0.293 |
| Anthropometric parameters | |||
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 23.9±2.5 | 26.4±2.6 | <0.001 |
| Waist circumference (cm) | 84.6±6.7 | 91.7±7.6 | <0.001 |
| DXA-measured fat | |||
| Upper arm fat (%) | 24.8±4.7 | 27.8±5.0 | 0.020 |
| Lower leg fat (%) | 23.9±4.4 | 26.1±5.1 | 0.069 |
| Trunk fat (%) | 28.2±5.0 | 31.4±4.6 | 0.013 |
| Total fat (%) | 26.1±4.1 | 28.8±4.3 | 0.014 |
| CT-measured abdominal fat area | |||
| VFA (cm2) | 91.0±30.0 | 141.9±50.0 | <0.001 |
| SFA (cm2) | 119.4±59.7 | 160.6±44.6 | 0.006 |
| Metabolic parameters | |||
| SBP (mmHg) | 120.5±13.4 | 124.5±14.6 | 0.259 |
| DBP (mmHg) | 81.5±10.1 | 84.1±11.5 | 0.350 |
| Fasting plasma glucose (mg/dL) | 98.1±30.5 | 121.3±35.8 | <0.001 |
| Fasting insulin (μIU/mL) | 3.8±1.7 | 7.4±5.5 | <0.001 |
| HOMA-IR | 0.92±0.46 | 2.07±1.45 | <0.001 |
| HDL-cholesterol (mg/dL) | 53.9±11.1 | 43.9±7.9 | <0.001 |
| Triglycerides (mg/dL) | 131.8±75.3 | 210.6±98.3 | <0.001 |
| ALT (IU/L) | 30.8±15.9 | 40.7±16.9 | 0.014 |
| GGT (IU/L) | 57.8±61.3 | 109.7±94.5 | <0.001 |
| CRP (mg/dL) | 0.11±0.12 | 0.26±0.29 | 0.005 |
| Ghrelin profiles | |||
| Desacyl ghrelin (pg/mL) | 315.5±188.2 | 205.2±144.4 | 0.017 |
| Acyl ghrelin (pg/mL) | 45.1±34.7 | 31.7±28.1 | 0.114 |
| Total ghrelin (pg/mL) | 360.6±188.8 | 236.9±148.5 | 0.010 |
| GOAT (pg/mL) | 31.4±52.1 | 26.1±14.8 | 0.655 |
Data are expressed as means±SEs or numbers (%).
MS, metabolic syndrome; VFA, visceral fat area; SFA, subcutaneous fat area; SBP, systolic blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; HOMA-IR, homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance index; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; GGT, γ-glutamyl transferase; CRP, C-reactive protein; GOAT, ghrelin O-acyltransferase; DXA, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; CT, computed tomography. One MET is roughly equivalent to 1 kcal/min for a 60 kg person.