@Article{chd.12845,
AUTHOR = {Anna‐Luisa Häcker, Renate Oberhoffer, Alfred Hager, Peter Ewert, Jan Müller},
TITLE = {Metabolic syndrome in adults with congenital heart disease and increased intima‐media thickness},
JOURNAL = {Structural and Congenital Heart Disease},
VOLUME = {14},
YEAR = {2019},
NUMBER = {6},
PAGES = {945--951},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/schd/v14n6/38913},
ISSN = {3071-1738},
ABSTRACT = {<b>Aims:</b> Age‐related cardiovascular diseases are a relevant risk in the aging population 
of adults with congenital heart diseases (ACHD). Risk factors such as the metabolic 
syndrome (MetS) impact the risk of increased carotid intima‐media thickness (cIMT) 
and thereby long‐term cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the study was to assess 
MetS in ACHD and outline a possible association to cIMT.<br/>
<b>Methods and Results:</b> In total, 512 ACHD (43.0 ± 9.6 years, 48.9% female) were 
screened for MetS by the standards of the International Diabetes Federation, and 
their cIMT by ultrasound from January 2017 to June 2019. MetS was prevalent in 
72 (14.1%) of the ACHD population (34 female, 15.5%). Regarding severity class, pa‐
tients with simple forms of CHD had a MetS prevalence of 11.8%, moderate 16.7%, 
and severe 13.8%. ACHD with MetS had significantly increased cIMT compared to 
ACHD without MetS (ACHD with MetS: 0.587 ± 0.079 mm, ACHD without MetS: 
0.560 ± 0.087 mm, mean difference: 0.028 mm, P = .013). Such a difference in vas‐
cular structure corresponds to roughly five years of normal vascular aging of the 
vessels.<br/>
<b>Conclusion:</b> ACHD with MetS have a thicker cIMT compared to ACHD without MetS. 
Screening for MetS and targeting risk factors in ACHD might help to prevent struc‐
tural alterations of the vessels at an early stage.},
DOI = {10.1111/chd.12845}
}