Hypophosphataemia in the metabolic syndrome. Gender differences in body weight and blood glucose.

Abstract

We examined gender differences in the clustering of risk factors, especially regarding the possible role of serum phosphate (S-P) in obese patients who participated in a 4 week education programme to reduce their excess risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Significantly higher body mass index (BMI) and concentrations of S-P and high density lipids (S-HDL) in serum were found in women (n=1272) than in men (n=993). In women, BMI was inversely correlated with S-P at the time of admission. Also in women (but not in men), changes in BMI and S-P over 1 or 1-1/2 y were inversely correlated. In men (but not in women), S-P level was inversely correlated with age, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and blood glucose at the time of admission. In women, S-P increased and DBP decreased, in addition to weight decrease over both 6 months and 1(1/2) y or 1 y. In women (but not in men), significantly higher age, S-P, S-chol, S-TG, S-urate, SBP and DBP values were found with the highest vs the lowest decile of S-Ca. We conclude that higher S-P and S-Ca levels may contribute to the difference in metabolic disturbances occurring in obesity, seen in women vs men.