Vascular Inflammation Evaluated by [18 F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography Is Associated With the Metabolic Syndrome

Vascular Inflammation Evaluated by [18 F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography Is Associated With the Metabolic Syndrome Nobuhiro Tahara, Hisashi Kai, Sho-ichi Yamagishi, Minori Mizoguchi, Hiroyuki Nakaura, Masatoshi Ishibashi, Hayato Kaida, Kenkichi Baba, Naofumi Hayabuchi, Tsutomu Imaizumi Vascular inflammation in carotid atherosclerosis was evaluated by [18 F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography in 216 consecutive patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that waist circumference, hypertensive medication, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (inversely), carotid intima-media thickness, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, or high sensitivity C-reactive protein was a significant independent determinant of the inflammation within carotid atherosclerosis. Age- and gender-adjusted FDG uptake into the artery was significantly higher in proportion to the accumulation of the number of the components of the metabolic syndrome. Our present study indicates that the metabolic syndrome may be associated with inflammation in carotid atherosclerosis.