Metabolic Syndrome and Its Correlates Among Female Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients at a Rural Tertiary Health Care Center in Northern India

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease that is thought to result from chronic inflammation that may affect other organ systems. Similarly, metabolic syndrome includes central obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), hyperglycemia, and hypertension. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its associated factors among female COPD patients in northern India needs to be evaluated. Aim and objectives: To find the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its correlates among female chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients at a rural tertiary health care center in northern India. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2019 and June 2020 at a rural tertiary health care center in northern India. The female patients who presented with symptoms of COPD and fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included and classified by Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD 2020) guideline while the clinical diagnosis of metabolic syndrome was made according to National Cholesterol Education Program: Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP: ATP III) criteria. Results: A total of 210 female COPD patients were included, the mean age of patients who had metabolic syndrome was 63.38±10.54 years. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 60.48% of patients. There was a significant difference between female COPD patients with and without metabolic syndrome regarding body weight, BMI (body mass index), waist circumference, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), blood sugar, serum triglyceride, serum HDL-C. Whereas no significant difference was found between patients with and without metabolic syndrome group regarding smoking exposure, biomass fuel exposure, duration of biomass fuel exposure, mMRC (modified Medical Research Council) grading of breathlessness, GOLD grading of airflow limitation, route and duration of corticosteroid used. In our study, we also found a significant association between the severity of airflow limitation of COPD with the duration of biomass fuel exposure and BMI. Also, there was a significant association between biomass fuel exposure and the presence of cough in female COPD patients. Conclusion: Metabolic syndrome is a prevalent entity in female COPD patients among the northern Indian population. Body weight, BMI, waist circumference, SBP, DBP, fasting blood sugar, serum triglyceride, and serum HDL-C have a significant impact on developing metabolic syndrome in female COPD patients. Duration of biomass fuel exposure and BMI also have a significant impact on the severity of airflow limitation in female COPD patients. So early detection and treatment of parameters of metabolic syndrome are important to reduce complications.