Metabolic syndrome in patients with hematological diseases

The term metabolic syndrome (MS) defines a clustering of cardiovascular risk factors, formerly known as syndrome X. There is some debate about the diagnostic criteria; but the most widely accepted framework is that defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III, which requires the simultaneous occurrence of at least three of abdominal obesity, arterial hypertension, hyperglycemia, hypertrigliceridemia and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The prevalence of MS increases with age and varies depending on genetic factors. An abnormally high prevalence has been observed in patients with heterogeneous conditions, such as solid organ transplant recipients, AIDS patients and long-term cancer survivors. As some of the pathogenetic factors possibly involved include cyclosporine A, corticosteroids and cancer chemoradiotherapy, it is possible that MS may also be a complication in hematological patients. Some of the characteristics of MS have been reported with a certai...