RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: In patients with peripheral arterial disease, metabolic syndrome is associated with less favorable evolution of intermittent claudication. METHODS: The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in claudicant patients using the IDF and the NCEP-ATPIII criteria, and to assess the level of agreement between the two definitions. RESULTS: In this cross-sectional study, 200 consecutive patients with intermittent claudication (65% male) were classified with or without metabolic syndrome according both criteria. The kappa coefficient was used to assess the level of agreement. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 60.5% when using the NCEP-ATPIII definition and 66.5% when using the IDF definition (P = 0.088). Among men, the prevalence of MetS was 55.4% according to the NCEP-ATPIII and 63.1% according to the IDF (P = 0.110) and, among women, 70.0% according to the NCEP-ATPIII and 72.9% according to the IDF (P = 0.754). CONCLUSION: Although the prevalence rates were similar, the reliability analysis showed that the agreement was substantial only among women and just moderate in the total population and among men.