Korean J Intern Med.  2010 Jun;25(2):168-173. 10.3904/kjim.2010.25.2.168.

The Contribution of Abdominal Obesity and Dyslipidemia to Metabolic Syndrome in Psychiatric Patients

• Kim SH
• Kim K
• Kwak MH
• Kim HJ
• Kim HS
• Han KH

• KMID: 1785674
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2010.25.2.168

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Metabolic syndrome is an emerging risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This study investigated the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among psychiatric patients in order to identify the dominant factors of metabolic syndrome. METHODS: We enrolled 225 patients who had been admitted to a chronic psychiatric hospital from October 2005 to February 2006. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was assessed based on the Adult Treatment Panel (ATP)-III with the new criterion of waist circumference in the Asia-Pacific Region. RESULTS: The study population was relatively young (41.1 +/- 8.8 years) and obese (waist in men, 91.3 +/- 9.2 cm; waist in women, 84.1 +/- 8.8 cm). Sixty percent of patients met the waist criterion of metabolic syndrome and 56% met the low high density lipoprotein (HDL) criterion. The mean serum triglycerides were high (170.0 +/- 119.7 mg/dL) and 46% of patients met the triglyceride criterion. In contrast, less than 10% of patients showed impaired fasting glucose or high blood pressure (5%, 9%, respectively). The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 34.2% by applying ATP-III criteria (40% in men and 20% in women, respectively). No specific anti-psychotic drugs were related to significant increase in the incidence of metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: Abdominal obesity and dyslipidemia (low HDL and high triglycerides) were dominant contributing factors of metabolic syndrome among psychiatric patients, and the affected age groups were relatively young. These findings indicate that active and early screening, including triglycerides, HDL, and waist measurement, are absolutely essential to managing metabolic syndrome in psychiatric patients.

Keyword

Antipsychotic agents; Dyslipidemias; Metabolic syndrome X; Obesity; Mental disorders

MeSH Terms

Adult
Antipsychotic Agents/therapeutic use
Cholesterol, HDL/blood
Cholesterol, LDL/blood
Dyslipidemias/*epidemiology
Female
Humans
Hypertension/epidemiology
Male
Mental Disorders/drug therapy/*epidemiology
Metabolic Syndrome X/*epidemiology
Middle Aged
Obesity, Abdominal/*epidemiology
Prevalence
Republic of Korea/epidemiology
Risk Factors
Triglycerides/blood
Young Adult