Evaluating Metabolic Syndrome Criteria in Gabonese Type 2 Diabetes Patients

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is the association of several cardiovascular risk factors. It aggravates cardiovascular complications, in diabetic subjects. Its prevalence depends on the definition used to describe it. This study aimed to compare four definitions of metabolic syndrome in type 2 diabetic subjects in Gabon.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

It was a prospective, observational study of type 2 diabetic subjects, followed at the University Hospital of Libreville. The MS was defined according to the criteria of the WHO, the National Education Program on NCEP ATP III Cholesterol, those of the International Diabetes Federation FID and the harmonized definition. Cohen's Kappa test was used to assess the two-to-two concordance between definitions and differences were significant for a p value< 0.05.

RESULTS

The panel was composed of 100 diabetics. The 4 definitions, showed the respective SM values of 41%, 71%, 64% and 78%. All methods showed that women were more affected and that abdominal obesity was the most common metabolic abnormality. The best concordance was found between the NCEP definition and the harmonized one (k= 0.82 p=0.000).

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome showed female predominance according to the 4 definitions. The NCEP ATP III and harmonized definitions gave the most consistent results within this population.