Abstract
Purpose:
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a growing public health problem characterized by clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors and a chronic low-grade inflammatory state. Biomarkers such as Fetuin-A, YKL-40, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) have been implicated in insulin resistance, obesity, and atherosclerosis. Identifying accessible and cost-effective biomarkers that reflect the presence and severity of MetS may provide clinically relevant insight into metabolic burden. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate whether inflammatory biomarkers are associated with the presence and dynamic severity of MetS.
Methods:
Forty-seven patients diagnosed with MetS according to National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria (≥3 components) and 23 healthy controls were included. Serum hsCRP, Fetuin-A, and YKL-40 levels were measured at baseline and after a 3-month follow-up. No pharmacological treatment was initiated; participants received standardized lifestyle modification advice. Associations between biomarker levels and MetS severity scores (range 3–5) were assessed using correlation analyses.
Results:
Baseline serum Fetuin-A, YKL-40, and hsCRP levels were significantly higher in patients with MetS compared to controls (all P < 0.001). During follow-up, changes in MetS severity were positively correlated with changes in hsCRP (r = 0.844, P < 0.001), Fetuin-A (r = 0.918, P < 0.001), and YKL-40 (r = 0.913, P < 0.001). Sensitivity analysis using Kendall’s tau-b confirmed robust monotonic associations (τ = 0.716–0.808, all P < 0.001).
Conclusion:
Fetuin-A and YKL-40 levels are strongly associated with both the presence and short-term changes in MetS severity. hsCRP appears to reflect longitudinal changes in metabolic burden. These findings suggest that selected inflammatory biomarkers may provide additional insight into the inflammatory and metabolic dynamics of MetS.
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