Metabolic syndrome and its characteristics among obese patients attending an obesity clinic.
BACKGROUND
The increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome worldwide is closely related to the rising obesity epidemic. The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence and identify the associated and prognostic factors that influence the risk of metabolic syndrome among obese patients attending the Obesity Clinic at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia.


METHODS
A study was conducted involving 102 obese persons who attended the Obesity Clinic from January 1 to December 31, 2005. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation criteria.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome among obese patients was 40.2 percent. The prevalence was higher in females (43.7 percent) than in males (32.3 percent). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was noted to increase with increasing body mass index class, from class 1 to class 2. However, the prevalence was lower in obesity class 3. The prevalence of metabolic comorbidities of raised blood pressure, reduced high density lipoprotein, high triglyceride and raised fasting blood glucose was 42, 40, 36 and 17 percent, respectively. A quarter of obese patients in this study had no other comorbidity. Based on logistic regression multivariable analysis, age was the only significant associated factor that influenced the risk of having metabolic syndrome.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was high and the highest comorbidity was high blood pressure. Age was the only significant risk factor of having this syndrome.
Department of Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kota Bharu 16150, Malaysia. mafauzy@kb.usm.my
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Termizy
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Mafauzy
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012042:Registries; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio; D055815:Young Adult