CRP and metabolic syndrome: In the present study, we focused on the relationship between circulating RAGE level and the prevalence of MetS because (i) a proinflammatory state, such as high concentration of circulating CRP, was reported to significantly influence the pathogenesis of MetS and its components [11], and (ii) circulating soluble forms of RAGE may attenuate inflammatory responses via competitive inhibition of ligand-RAGE interaction [2].