Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in psychiatric inpatients in a tertiary care centre in north India

Background & objectives: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with major mental illnesses. It is a major predictor of mortality and morbidity. This research was undertaken to study the prevalence and correlates of MS in psychiatric inpatients in a tertiary care hospital in north India. Methods: Consecutive adult patients with a primary psychiatric disorder admitted to the psychiatric ward during the study period (July-December 2007) were evaluated for prevalence of MS as per the criteria of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Results: Among the 90 patients included in the study, the prevalence of MS as per IDF was 37.8 per cent and it was significantly associated with the body mass index (BMI). Interpretation & conclusions: The present findings showed a higher prevalence of MS in psychiatric inpatients than that in the general population. Further studies on a larger sample need to be done before advising evaluation for the presence of MS in all psychiatric patients.