Frecuencia y caracterización del síndrome metabólico según criterios de la Federación Internacional de Diabetes en familiares de primer grado de personas con diabetes tipo 1

introduction: the metabolic syndrome is defined as the association of some factors causing cardiovascular disease and of type 2 diabetes mellitus. objective: to determine the frequency of the metabolic syndrome according to the criteria of the international federation of diabetes in first degree relatives of persons with type 1diabetes. methods: ninety six adults and 97 adolescents were selected to apply a questionnaire and a general physical examination. also, assessment of fast glucose, insulin, cholesterol, triglycerides and hdl-cholesterol were carried out, estimating the rate of insulin-resistance. results: the frequency of metabolic syndrome was higher in adults for a 17,7 % (17/96) than in adolescents for a 3,09 % (3/97) and the insulin resistance in adults was similar in those subjects with and without metabolic syndrome. the family history of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, dyslipemia and high blood pressure is not associated with the presence of metabolic syndrome in first degree relative of persons with type 1 diabetes. conclusions: the metabolic syndrome, according the criteria of the international federation of diabetes, is more frequent in adult persons than in the adolescent first degree relatives of persons with type 1 diabetes and that the insulin resistance in these subjects is not exclusively associated with the metabolic syndrome.