Metabolic Syndrome in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Association with Genetic Markers of Obesity and Inflammation

This study analyzed poorly understood relationship of two overlapping conditions: metabolic syndrome (MeS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), both associated with inflammation in the visceral adipose tissue. Newly diagnosed 104 IBD patients, of which 50 Crohn's disease (CD) and 54 ulcerative colitis (UC), and 45 non-IBD controls were examined for MeS-related obesity and lipid markers. Th-17 immune genes , , and mRNAs were measured in intestinal mucosa by qRT-PCR. Subjects were genotyped for obesity-associated variant rs9939609 by polymerase chain reaction-amplification refractory mutation system. CD was associated with MeS ( = 0.01), while both CD and UC were associated with central obesity ( = 10 , = 0.002, respectively) and low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ( = 5 × 10 , = 6 × 10 , respectively). IBD lipid profile was characterized by decreased total and HDL cholesterol, while low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was reduced only in CD. Negative correlations were found between total cholesterol and CD activity index ( = 0.005), waist circumference and as well as mRNA levels in inflamed CD colon ( = 0.003, = 0.001, respectively). Carriers of rs9939609 AA genotype showed increased risk of CD (OR 2.6, = 0.01). MeS, central obesity, and dyslipidemia could be important for IBD pathogenesis. This could influence therapeutic approaches and prevention strategies in high-risk groups.