OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between PPARdelta + 294T/C gene polymorphism and lipid profile, obesity and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS).

METHODSThis study was conducted in 300 patients with MS and 174 patients with essential hypertension (EH) and 143 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). MS was diagnosed according to 1999 WHO criteria. Fasting insulin (FINS), fasting blood glucose (FBG), plasma lipids levels were measured, LVH was examined by Doppler echocardiography. The PPARdelta + 294T/C gene polymorphism were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction and subsequently digested by BSLI restriction endonuclease.

RESULTSThe frequencies of the PPARdelta + 294T/C genotypes were not different among three groups. Compared with T2DM and EH, MS patients had significantly higher body mass index (BMI), plasma total cholesterol, TG and LDL-C levels (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). LVM, LVMI and incidence rate of LVH were significantly higher in MS and EH patients than that in T2DM (P < 0.01). MS patients with CC genotype had significantly higher total cholesterol and LDL-C levels than those with TT and TC genotypes (total cholesterol in CC genotype: 6.13 +/- 1.86 mmol/L vs in TC genotype: 5.14 +/- 1.10 mmol/L, P < 0.05, and CC genotype: 6.13 +/- 1.86 mmol/L vs TT genotype: 4.99 +/- 1.42 mmol/L, P < 0.01; LDL-C in CC genotype: 3.82 +/- 1.52 mmol/L vs in TC genotype: 3.14 +/- 0.88 mmol/L, P < 0.05, and in CC genotype: 3.82 +/- 1.52 mmol/L vs in TT genotype: 2.90 +/- 0.87 mmol/L, P < 0.01). BMI and LVMI in MS patients with C allele carriers (CC + TC) were significantly higher than that of TT genotype (LVMI in CC + TC: 46 +/- 10 g/m(2.7) vs in TT: 44 +/- 10 g/m(2.7); BMI in CC + TC: 26 +/- 3 kg/m(2) vs in TT: 25 +/- 3 kg/m(2), P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSIt is indicated that PPARdelta + 294T/C gene polymorphism in subjects with MS may be involved in the occurrence of obesity and dyslipidemia. MS patients with C allele had a predominant LVH than subjects with TT genotype.