Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in acute myocardial infarction and its impact on hospital outcomes

AIMS: To ascertain the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in patients with acute myocardial infarction; to study the impact of the metabolic syndrome on hospital outcomes; and to find out the association of each component of the metabolic syndrome with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). SETTING: Coronary care unit, Department of Medicine, B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal. DESIGN: Hospital-based cross-sectional study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 84 unselected consecutive patients hospitalized with AMI (diagnosed on the basis of WHO criteria) were categorized according to NCEP ATP III criteria. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Data was analyzed by using the Student's t test and Chi-square test. RESULTS: Among the 84 AMI patients, 22 (26.19%) fulfilled the criteria for metabolic syndrome. Patients with the metabolic syndrome were older (86% were >50 years of age) and females (27%) were more affected than males (25%). In-hospital case fatality was higher in patients having the metabolic syndrome (5/22) than in those without the syndrome (3/62). Among the five components of the metabolic syndrome, the triglyceride levels had the highest positive predictive value (62%) in AMI; this was followed by fasting blood glucose levels (55%). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome is 26.19%; it is associated with high mortality; among its components, the triglyceride level has the highest positive predictive value in AMI patients.