Metabolic syndrome: A clinic based rural study – Are women at high risk?

BackgroundReports of urban based studies suggest an increase in the prevalence of MS worldwide along with diabetes, hypertension and atherogenic dyslipidemia. The supporting rural based studies on MS are few and prevalence of MS among women is underestimated. In this prospective study we have evaluated the clinic prevalence of metabolic syndrome among rural Indian population with special emphasis on prevalence in women.Research design and method2329 patients attending to diabetic centre were evaluated for the markers of MS. Anthropometric measurements, clinical assessment, capillary blood glucose and lipid profile (TC, HDL-C, TG, LDL-C, VLDL-C) were done and classified as per NCEP ATP III and NCEP ATP III modified for Asian guidelines. We compared the prevalence of MS between males and females for statistical significance by SPSS 16.0 statistical software. The level of significance was kept at <0.05.ResultsThe Clinic prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 61.74% with 57.59% males and 69.66% females as per NCEP ATP III guidelines. 73.85% of the study population had MS, with 68.85% males and 83.39% females had MS as per modified Asian criteria. We could get a statistically significant variation between males and females in FBS, PPBS, SBP, DBP, TC, HDL-C, TG, LDL-C, VLDL-C, TC/HDL, LDL/HDL, BMI, W/H ratio and W/S ratio.ConclusionPrevalence MS is increasing at an epidemic proportion bringing with it micro and macro vascular complications. Women are more prone to develop MS in rural population than the men and there is a statistically significant variation in the biochemical and anthropometric parameters. This is an era of ‘gender equality’; here we see women over taking men in metabolic syndrome and its complications.

► Metabolic syndrome (MS) is common metabolic disorder which predispose to early Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD).
► Clinic prevalence of MS in rural population as per NCEP ATP III and NCEP ATP III modified for Asian Population is studied.
► Prevalence of MS in rural population is ever increasing possibly due to poor socioeconomic status.
► MS is more prevalent in women than in men according both NCEP ATP III guidelines in rural population.
► MS in women is high due to higher cut off of HDL, android obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, diabetes and hyper insulinemia.