CMI had the highest observed AUC in men (AUC = 0.933) and LAP had the highest observed AUC in women (AUC = 0.854) for identifying ALAD-defined metabolic syndrome in non-diabetic Panamanian adults, suggesting these simple, inexpensive indices may have potential utility as screening tools in primary healthcare settings.
The cardiometabolic index (CMI) showed the highest classification performance for identifying ALAD-defined metabolic syndrome in men.
The lipid accumulation product (LAP) showed the highest classification performance for identifying ALAD-defined metabolic syndrome in women.
This cross-sectional study evaluated eight indices for classifying metabolic syndrome in 262 non-diabetic Panamanian adults.
Composite indices integrating both anthropometric and metabolic parameters showed high classification performance overall for identifying metabolic syndrome.
The proposed cut-off values for each index are considered exploratory and require external validation before clinical implementation.
CMI and LAP were identified as potentially useful screening tools for metabolic syndrome in primary healthcare settings due to their simplicity and low cost.
This research compared eight different measurement tools for identifying metabolic syndrome — a cluster of risk factors including excess abdominal fat, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and abnormal cholesterol levels — in 262 Panamanian adults without diabetes. The tools ranged from simple body measurements like body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio to more complex indices that combine body measurements with blood test results. The study used the Latin American Diabetes Association (ALAD) definition of metabolic syndrome as its reference standard and analyzed men and women separately. The study found that two composite indices performed best: the cardiometabolic index (CMI) in men, correctly classifying cases with about 93% accuracy (AUC = 0.933), and the lipid accumulation product (LAP) in women, with about 85% accuracy (AUC = 0.854). Both indices combine a physical measurement (waist circumference) with a blood lipid measurement, making them relatively easy and inexpensive to calculate in a routine clinic visit. Overall, indices that combined both body measurements and metabolic blood markers outperformed simpler single-measurement tools. This research suggests that CMI and LAP could serve as practical screening tools for metabolic syndrome in primary care settings across Panama and potentially other Latin American populations, where access to comprehensive testing may be limited. However, the authors caution that the specific numerical thresholds (cut-off values) identified in this study are preliminary and need to be confirmed in other independent populations before they are used routinely in clinical practice. The findings highlight the value of sex-specific screening approaches, as the best-performing tool differed between men and women.
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Upload Your LabsArteaga G, Hernandez Adames X, Torres-Atencio I, Espinosa De Ycaza A, Piran Arce M, Tejada Espinosa A, et al.. (2026). Comparative Classification Performance of Anthropometric, Body Composition, and Cardiometabolic Indices for Identifying ALAD-Defined Metabolic Syndrome in Panamanian Adults.. Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland). https://doi.org/10.3390/medsci14040500