Abstract:
Background: Metabolic syndrome is a condition that includes a cluster of risk factors associated
with cardiovascular disease. The cluster of metabolic factors include abdominal obesity, high
blood pressure, impaired fasting glucose, high triglyceride levels, and low high density
lipoprotein cholesterol levels. However, when a person has three or more of these metabolic
disorders, it is usually diagnosed as metabolic syndrome, which further increases the risk for
additional health problems. Metabolic syndrome is becoming a big public health problem in
developing countries like Ethiopia. Developing countries have an almost two-fold higher risk of
death due to these non-communicable diseases compared to high-income countries.
Objective: The main aim of the present study is to determine the magnitude of metabolic
syndrome and associated risk factors among adult cardiac patients attending a chronic illness
follow-up clinic at Jimma University Medical Center.
Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 321 sequentially
selected adult cardiac patients from December 21, 2023, to March 21, 2024. Data was collected
on socio-demographic, clinical, anthropometric, and lifestyle characteristics using a structured
questionnaire adapted from the different literatures. Fasting blood glucose and lipid profiles
were tested using a blood sample. A binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify
factors associated with metabolic syndrome, and variables will be considered statistically
significant at p <0.05.
Results: A total of 321 participants were included in the study, of whom 182 (56.69%) were
females and 139 (43.30%) were males. A total of 131 (40.81%) and 133 (41.43%) adult cardiac
patients were found to have metabolic syndrome according to modified adult treatment panel III
and international diabetic federation criteria, respectively. Metabolic syndrome was seen more
among females (28.03%) as compared to males (12.77%), according to modified adult treatment
panel III. The frequency of metabolic syndrome components was reduced high density lipoprotein
cholesterol (55.1%), raised blood pressure (46.72%), elevated triglyceride (46.40%), elevated
fasting glucose (22.42%), and abdominal obesity (7.47%).
Conclusion: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among cardiac patients was high, with low
high density lipoprotein cholesterol and elevated blood pressure being the most commonly
encountered abnormalities. Eating less than 1 plate per week vegetables, being
physically inactive, khat chewing and eating red meat greater than or equal to 2kg per week
were found to have a significant association with the occurrence of MetS.
