Features of the metabolic syndrome and the risk of non-vertebral fractures : The Tromsø study

We wanted to examine whether the features of the metabolic syndrome carried an increased risk of non-vertebral fracture. This is a population-based, 6-year follow-up of 27,159 subjects from the municipality of Tromsø, followed from 1994 until 2001. Age range was 25-98 years. Non-fasting serum levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides and glucose, blood pressure (BP), weight and height were measured at baseline. All non-vertebral fractures were registered by computerised search in radiographic archives. A total of 1,249 non-vertebral fractures were registered. Increasing number of metabolic syndrome features was associated with significantly reduced fracture risk in both men and women, p= 0.004 and p