AIM: Individual components of the metabolic syndrome (MS), especially obesity 
and hypertension, have a deleterious effect on renal graft outcome. Whether MS 
is better than its individual components in predicting the decline of renal 
function is unknown. We studied the presence of MS and its individual components 
at 12 months post-transplantation according to the Adult Treatment Panel III 
classification and their influence on measured graft function.
METHODS: A cohort of 322 patients who underwent transplantation between 1996 and 
2003 and who agreed to have their glomerular filtration rate (GFR) measured by 
urinary clearance of technetium 99m (Tc*-DTPA) (measured GFR [mGFR]) at 3, 12, 
48, 60, and 96 months after transplantation were included. The patients were 
followed up until patient death, graft loss, or December 2009 (mean follow-up: 3 
± 2.8 years). The linear mixed effect model for longitudinal repeated measures 
was applied. To compare MS versus its components we used the Akaike information 
Criterion (AIC) to determine the best model according to the Anderson and 
Burnham method.
RESULTS: Univariate and multivariate analyses models using MS were more 
efficient than those using the individual components, which consisted of waist 
circumference, low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, hypertriglyceridemia, 
hyperglycemia, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The AIC was the lowest 
with MS models indicating better prediction on graft function than the 
individual components.
CONCLUSION: MS is a better predictor of mGFR decline than its individual 
components. It is a valid and precious tool to assess outcomes.