OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore the association of metabolic 
syndrome and each of its components with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality 
in a general Italian elderly population.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Metabolic syndrome, diagnosed by National 
Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria, all-cause 
mortality, and cardiovascular mortality, was evaluated in 2,910 subjects aged > 
or =65 years of the Progetto Veneto Anziani (Pro.V.A.) Study during a mean 
follow-up time of 4.4 years.
RESULTS: After multivariable adjustment, metabolic syndrome was associated with 
increased all-cause mortality in all subjects (hazard ratio 1.41 [95% CI 
1.16-1.72], P = 0.001), among men (1.42 [1.06-1.89], P = 0.017), and among women 
(1.47 [1.13-1.91], P = 0.004). High glucose in all subjects (1.27 [1.02-1.59], P 
= 0.037) and in women (1.61 [1.16-2.24], P = 0.005) and low HDL cholesterol in 
women (1.48 [1.08-2.02], P = 0.014) were predictors of all-cause mortality, even 
independently of the interactions of different metabolic syndrome components. 
After multivariable adjustment, metabolic syndrome was also associated with 
increased cardiovascular mortality in all subjects (1.60 [1.17-2.19], P = 
0.003), among men (1.66 [1.00-2.76], P = 0.051), and among women (1.60 
[1.06-2.33], P = 0.025). High glucose (2.17 [1.28-3.68], P = 0.004) and low HDL 
cholesterol (1.78 [1.07-2.95], P = 0.026) among women predicted higher 
cardiovascular mortality.
CONCLUSIONS: In this general Italian elderly population, among metabolic 
syndrome components, all-cause mortality is better predicted by high glucose in 
all subjects and in women and by low HDL cholesterol in women, whereas 
cardiovascular mortality is better predicted by high glucose and low HDL 
cholesterol in women.