LDL Cholesterol is More Strongly Associated with Metabolic Syndrome in Japanese Women Than in Men

Objective LDL cholesterol is not usually considered as a component of metabolic syndrome (MetS) but rather it is associated with MetS components. Methods Data from 2,449 men and 1,448 women were examined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for diagnosing MetS and correlation coefficients. Results Blood levels of LDL cholesterol increased more steeply in women than in men as the number of MetS components increased. The area under ROC curve (AUC) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) of LDL cholesterol for diagnosing MetS were 0.57 and 0.53-0.60 in men and 0.66 and 0.61-0.71 in women. The optimal cut-off point (sensitivity; specificity) of LDL cholesterol was 127 mg/dL (0.50; 0.60) in men and 125 mg/dL (0.64; 0.61) in women. Correlations between LDL cholesterol and Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, gamma glutamyltransferase, and hemoglobin A1c were stronger in women than in men even after adjustment for age. The correlation between LDL cholesterol and blood pressure was significant in women, but not in men, even after adjusting for age. Conclusion LDL cholesterol was more strongly associated with MetS in Japanese women than in men. The correlation between LDL cholesterol and blood pressure was significant in women, but not in men.