Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the impact of metabolic syndrome in patients with type 2 diabetes in Basrah, Iraq. Design: A prospective clinical study. Setting: Al-Mawani General Hospital, Basrah, Iraq. Method: One hundred-ten patients with type 2 diabetes were included. They were 41 males and 69 females. In addition, 108 control subjects were also included. They were 58 males and 50 females. Measurement of height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels were carried out. The updated US National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (Updated NCEP ATP III) definition was used for the diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome. Result: The frequencies of the metabolic syndrome were significantly higher in type 2 diabetes male and female patients (75.6% and 94.2% respectively) compared to male and female controls (8.6% and 8.0% respectively), (P<0.001). The major determinants for the metabolic syndrome in male patients with the metabolic syndrome were, blood pressure (P<0.01), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P<0.01) and waist circumference (P<0.05). In female patients with the metabolic syndrome, the major metabolic syndrome determinants were waist circumference, triglycerides and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P<0.05). Conclusion: Patients with type 2 diabetes have a considerably high frequency of the metabolic syndrome. Hence, they are at a greater risk of atherosclerotic disease and its adverse clinical consequences.