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Introduction: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with overweightness and/or obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemias, and insulin resistance; timely detection can help to avoid or reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases or type 2 diabetes mellitus, which the main causes of death from noncommunicable diseases in Mexico. Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) as a parameter for risk assessment and diagnosis of MS in a population of apparently healthy young adults. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Sample of 337 subjects was recruited. Biochemical and anthropometric parameters were determined for the presence of MS, obtaining WHtR and quartiles were generated to propose a cutoff point with which the risk and diagnostic utility of this ratio were assessed by means of quantitative comparisons, risk analysis, and likelihood analysis. Results: The WHtR is a very sensitive and specific test for the diagnosis of MS. The areas under the curve were 98% and 83%, respectively, for men and women, for the diagnosis of MS (p < 0.0001). It was found that a WHtR higher than 0.53 increases the risk of MS (odds ratio = 18.62, 95% confidence interval = 1.7-208, p = 0.02). Potential impact measures suggest by controlling the WHtR, 94% of MS cases could be prevented. Conclusions: The WHtR is useful and accurate for the diagnosis of the MS in apparently healthy young adults.

The production of polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) against metallothioneins (MT) has been done in mammals. In this work, we describe a model where pAbs against rat liver MT were produced in chickens. Liver MT-1 and MT-2 isoforms isolated from rats were used as immunogens. MT was purified by exclusion chromatography and MT isoforms isolated by ionic exchange chromatography. Chickens were immunized with each isoform emulsified with Freund adjuvant over 6 weeks. MT-pAbs obtained from egg yolk were purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by thiophilic interaction chromatography. MT-pAbs were characterized by ELISA, SDS-PAGE electrophoresis, and Western blot assays. Results showed significant titers (1:1,000) of MT-1 and MT-2 IgY in the eggs collected 30 days after the first immunization as determined by a direct ELISA assay; results also show a cross-reaction between MT-1 and MT-2 isoforms: however, the Abs obtained did not react with other non-MT proteins in hepatic homogenates. Sensitivity assays showed that MT-pAbs detected MT-1 and MT-2 at nanogram levels. These data suggest that chickens are an alternative model for producing pAbs against mammal high-homology proteins such as MT.

Metabolic syndrome (MS) directly increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Childhood and adulthood have been the most studied in MS, leaving aside the young adult population. This study aimed to compare the epidemiological probabilities between MS and different anthropometric parameters of body composition. Using a cross-sectional study with the sample of 1351 young adults, different body composition parameters were obtained such as Waist Circumference (WC), Body Mass Index (BMI), Body Fat% (BF%), Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR), and Waist-Hip Ratio. The Bayes Theorem was applied to estimate the conditional probability that any subject developed MS with an altered anthropometric parameter of body composition. Areas under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) and adjusted odds ratios of the five parameters were analyzed in their optimal cutoffs. The conditional probability of developing MS with an altered anthropometric parameter was 17% in WHtR, WC, and Waist-hip R. Furthermore, body composition parameters were adjusted by age, BMI, and gender. Only WHtR (OR = 9.43, CI = 3.4–26.13, p < 0.0001), and BF% (OR = 3.18, CI = 1.42–7.13, p = 0.005) were significant, and the sensitivity (84%) and the AUCs (86%) was higher in WHtR than other parameters. In young adults, the WHtR was the best predictor of metabolic syndrome.