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Diagnosis of metabolic syndrome
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome is based on the presence of clinical components of metabolic syndrome.
The main external manifestation of insulin resistance is abdominal obesity. This type of fat deposition is easily determined by calculating the waist to hip ratio (WHR). An indicator exceeding 1.0 in both men and women indicates abdominal obesity. BMI reflects the degree of obesity and is calculated using the following formula:
BMI = weight (kg) / height (m2)
A BMI of more than 25 kg/m2 indicates overweight.
Other basic manifestations of metabolic syndrome:
- blood pressure over 140/90 mm Hg;
- fasting glucose > 6.7 mmol/l;
- oral glucose tolerance test (75 g glucose) after 2 hours > 11.1 nmol/l or previously diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus;
- immunoreactive insulin > 111 pmol/L
- triglycerides > 2.3 mmol/l;
- HDL cholesterol < 0.9 mmol/l
- TC > 6.5 mmol/l;
- uric acid > 480 µmol/l,
- fibrinogen > 300 mg%;
- albuminuria > 20 mg/day.
Recommended instrumental research methods:
- ECG;
- Ultrasound and Doppler examination of the carotid arteries;
- echocardiography;
- fundus examination;
- CT scan of the abdominal cavity (to assess the amount of abdominal fat tissue).
Differential diagnosis of metabolic syndrome
The differential diagnosis of metabolic syndrome should first of all be made with Cushing's syndrome. For this purpose, the daily excretion of cortisol in urine is studied, small and large dexamethasone tests are carried out, CT of the adrenal glands and MRI of the brain are performed.
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