Effect of lifestyle intervention on index of early artery diseases in patients with metabolic syndrome

Objective To explore the effects of lifestyle intervention on index of early artery diseases in nondiabetic patients with metabolic syndrome (MS). Methods Eighty-seven nondiabetic patients with MS were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n=47) and the control group (n=40). The patients in the intervention group received health education, diet control, regular physical exercises, and unhealthy habit correction; however, the control group did not receive any intervention. All the patients were followed up for 9 months. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), fasting blood glucose (FBG), HbA1c, fasting insulin (FINS), HOMA-IR, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and ankle-brachial index (ABI) were measured at baseline and at 9 months. Results After 6 or 9 months' intervention, BMI, WC, SBP, TG, HDL-C, FPG, HbA1c, FINS, HOMA-IR and hs-CRP of the intervention group were improved (all P 0.05). BaPWV and ABI were significantly changed in the intervention group when compared with those in the control group at 9 months (both P<0.05). The abnormal rate of baPWV in the intervention group at 9 months was 44.68%. BaPWV and ABI were associated with hs-CRP and HOMA-IR. Conclusions In nondiabetic MS patients, health management could significantly improve insulin resistance, modify metabolic disorders, and prevent the development of atherosclerosis. Key words: Metabolic syndrome X; Intervetion studies; Atherosclerosis; Insulin resistance