Multiple stepwise regression analyses were performed to evaluate the influence of clinical factors on the differences in echocardiographic findings. A p-value of less than 0.05 was regarded as

having statistical significance. Results Study population Demographic and clinical characteristics of the study populations (metabolic and non-metabolic control groups) are summarized in Table 1. Age and gender distributions were similar in both groups. Although there was no significant difference in BMI, waist circumference was significantly larger in the MS than in the control group. Another remarkable Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical GDC-0973 mouse variation was demonstrated in terms of BP and TG levels between the two groups. The FSG and HDL levels were not significantly different between the two groups. Thus, MS patients included in the present study had minimal risk factors for MS. Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics M-mode, two-dimensional, and conventional doppler echocardiography M-mode, 2D, and conventional Doppler echocardiographic measurements are shown in Table 2. LV size, Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical LV mass, LA size, and LVEF were not significantly different between the two groups. LV diastolic function estimated by conventional Doppler criteria was similar in both groups. Thus, there were no significant differences Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical in the prevalence of systolic

and diastolic dysfunction when assessed by 2D and conventional Doppler echocardiography. Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical Table 2 Two-dimensional and pulsed wave Doppler echocardiography Tissue doppler imaging Echocardiographic measurements

by TDI are summarized in Table 3 and Fig. 1. Tissue Doppler velocities of the lateral annulus were 8.8 ± 2.4 and 11.8 ± 1.9 cm/s (p < 0.001) in the MS and control groups, respectively. Average values of Sm and Em measured at 8 myocardial segments were significantly lower in the MS group than in the control group (2.7 Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical ± 0.4 vs. 4.0 ± 1.0 cm/s, p < 0.001; 4.0 ± 1.3 vs. 5.5 ± 1.4 cm/s, p = 0.008, respectively). In addition, average values of Ssr, Esr, and PSS were also significantly lower Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase in the MS group than in the control group (1.1 ± 0.3 vs. 1.4 ± 0.3 s-1, p = 0.001; 1.2 ± 0.3 vs. 1.5 ± 0.3 s-1, p = 0.013; and 16.9 ± 3.7 vs. 20.5 ± 3.2%, p = 0.001, respectively). Fig. 1 Mean values of myocardial velocities and strain rate by tissue Doppler imaging in control and MS group. MS: metabolic syndrome, Sm: peak systolic, Em: early diastolic, Ssr: peak systolic, Esr: early diastolic. Table 3 Myocardial velocities, strain rates, and peak systolic strain Relationship of clinical and echocardiographic parameters Linear regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship of echocardiographic measurements to clinical parameters in patients with MS and non-MS (Table 4). Age significantly correlated with all echocardiographic parameters representing myocardial function.