Study of serum phosphate and albumin levels and their association with components of metabolic syndrome

Introduction: Metabolic Syndrome represents a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors that recently has become a public health problem. It has been proposed that disturbances in phosphate metabolism may contribute to the development of this constellation of cardiovascular risk factors. Lower serum albumin was regarded as an indicator of malnutrition, inflammation, and liver disease, and has been reported to be associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Aim: To determine the association between serum phosphate and albumin levels with the components of metabolic syndrome. Method: A case- control study was carried out with hundred subjects. Fifty of these subjects were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome according to National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III, while other fifty were sex and age matched healthy control subjects. Results: The mean serum phosphate level is 2.8±0.65mg/dl in cases and 3.4±0.76 mg/dl for controls. All patients with metabolic syndrome showed low phosphate levels with p<0.001 compared with controls. The mean serum albumin level is 3.1±0.74g/dl in cases and 3.67±0.82g/dl for controls. Patients with metabolic syndrome showed significantly low albumin levels with p<0.001 compared to controls. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that patients with metabolic syndrome had significantly lower phosphate and albumin concentrations compared to individuals who do not fulfill criteria for the diagnosis of this syndrome. This reduction in serum phosphate and albumin levels is more pronounced as the number of components of metabolic syndrome increases.