Diabetes Organizations Question
Existence of Metabolic Syndrome
The world's top two diabetes organizations have questioned the
existence of a medical condition widely cited by drug firms, in
a move that could hamper its validity.
The American Diabetes Association and European Association for
the Study of Diabetes said in a joint statement that "metabolic
syndrome" -- which has come to be seen as a predictor of cardiovascular
disease -- was poorly defined, inconsistently used and in need
of further research.
Doctors should not diagnose people with the "syndrome" or treat
it as a separate condition until the science behind it is clear,
according to a paper to be published in the September issue of
Diabetes Care and Diabetologia.
"There is no combination of risk factors that boosts a person's
cardiovascular risk beyond the sum of the parts, or constitutes
a separate disease," said Dr Ele Ferrannini, president of the
European diabetes association.
Industry analysts said the strongly worded warning was a setback
for drug companies such as Sanofi, which is keen to position its
anti-obesity drug Acomplia as a medicine to treat "metabolic syndrome,"
because it also helps with risk factors such as lipid levels.
Acomplia, which Sanofi hopes to launch next year once it has
received regulatory approval, is viewed as a potential multibillion-dollar-a-year
seller for the French company.
Sanofi had no immediate comment on the statement by the two groups.
"Metabolic syndrome" is often defined as applying to anyone with
three or more of the following conditions -- a large waist circumference,
high triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, low levels of HDL
"good" cholesterol and high blood glucose.
A large and growing section of the population in North America
and Europe are covered by such a definition, reflecting the increasing
problem of obesity in developed countries.
Taken individually, all of the above conditions can be considered
a risk factor for heart disease, the two associations said. But
they should each be treated separately, and doctors should not
try to prescribe treatments for the "syndrome" until new, solid
evidence is obtained.
Their experts' concerns over "metabolic syndrome" follow similar
controversies surrounding other new disorders that the pharmaceutical
industry stands accused of inventing.
Conditions such as "generalized anxiety disorder" and "female
sexual dysfunction" have been cited in the past as examples of
so-called disease-mongering by drug companies eager to carve out
new markets for their products.
The drug makers say they are addressing serious, chronic medical
conditions.
More
articles related to Metabolic Syndrome
Reference
Source 89
August
25, 2005
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