Metabolic Syndrome among Type-2 Diabetic Patients in Benghazi-Libya: A pilot study

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of three out of five conditions that are due to hyperinsulinemia: abdominal obesity, atherogenic dyslipidemia (high triglycerides and/or low HDL), elevated blood pressure, and elevated plasma glucose. The syndrome is highly prevalent in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus and often precedes the onset of hyperglycemia. It has been shown that metabolic syndrome is an independent clinical indicator of macroand microvascular complications in diabetics. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: the aim of this pilot study was to estimate the frequency and characteristics of metabolic syndrome among type-2 diabetic patients in Benghazi. Patients and methods: This cross-sectional study involved 99 randomly selected adult patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus. The patients were interviewed and examined, and their lipid profiles were checked 9-12 hours after overnight fasting. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) and of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). RESULTS: About 92% of the patients had the metabolic syndrome according to ATP III criteria and 80.8% according to IDF criteria. Females were more affected, males with metabolic syndrome were significantly older, and females were significantly more obese. No significant difference was observed between males and females regarding waist circumference, HDL level and triglyceride level. The commonest and most important component of metabolic syndrome in the study group was low HDL. CONCLUSION: Metabolic syndrome is common among Libyans with type-2 diabetes mellitus, and it is significantly more common in females than males. The most significant predictor of metabolic syndrome in type-2 diabetic patients in Benghazi is low HDL.