Association Between Nontraditional Risk Factors and Metabolic Syndrome in Indigenous Argentinean Schoolchildren

Background: Whether apolipoproteins (Apos) are better cardiovascular disease (CVD) markers than metabolic syndrome (MS) is widely debated. Measurement of Apo B is standardized, simple, and inexpensive and does not require fasting. The aim of this study was to compare the ability of nontraditional CVD markers such as Apo B, Apo B/Apo A, non–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), vitamin D, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) to identify children with MS. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study of 355 Argentinean Koya schoolchildren (166 boys) 9.6±2.3 years old was performed in November 2011. Anthropometric measures, blood pressure, Tanner stages, and serum levels of glucose, lipids, insulin, Apo A, Apo B, and vitamin D were measured. Results: The prevalence of overweight/obesity was 10.7% ( n =38), and that of underweight was 14.6% ( n =52) using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria. The prevalence of central obesity was 10.9% (38/355), high triglycerides was 11.1% (39/355), low HDL-C was 44.9% (158/355), hypertension was 12.8% (45/355), hyperglycemia was 0.3% (1/355), and MS was 4.2% (15/355). Several multiple logistic regression analyses showed that MS was significantly associated with HOMA-IR (odds ratio [OR], 3.6 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.51–8.52]), non-HDL-C (OR, 1.03 [95% CI 1.007–1.049]), Apo B (OR, 1.06 [95% CI 1.03–1.09]), and Apo B/Apo A (OR, 78.3 [95% CI 3.67–1,674.4]) adjusted for age and gender. Furthermore, the areas under the receiver operator characteristic curves were as follows: Apo B, 0.77 (95% CI 0.63–0.90); Apo B/Apo A, 0.76 (95% CI 0.63–0.88); non-HDL-C, 0.72 (95% CI 0.57–0.85); and HOMA-IR, 0.69 (95% CI 0.49–0.90). These values indicate that these variables were acceptable predictors for MS. Conclusions: This is the first study of nontraditional markers in South American Indian children. MS was associated with multiple nontraditional markers of future CVD risk such as non-HDL-C, Apo B, and Apo B/Apo A. However, Apo B was the best predictor for MS, suggesting that it could be used as a risk marker of future CVD in this community.