The Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome Among Type 2 Saudi Diabetic Patients: A particular View in Gurayat Province

Introduction: the metabolic syndrome is one of the great challenges facing physicians dealing with diabetes mellitus. The presence of the syndrome increases the direct and indirect cost of care due to cardiovascular disorders. The early surveillance of the components of the syndrome and early intervention, will stopthe occurrence of the syndrome. Objectives: to determine the prevalence of the syndrome among the diabetic patients with type 2 attending the diabetic center at Gurayat General Hospital and to determine the commonest components among those patients. Methods: a randomized cross sectional study was designed to detect the magnitude of the syndrome. The population of the study was patients with type 2 diabetes, with specific characters. Only 530 patients were eligible to enter the study. Two hundred and sixty five (265) diabetic patients (118 male and 147 female) were selected by randomized simple systemic method. Four criteria for diagnosing the syndrome were defined (Fasting Blood Glucose > 150mh/dl, Blood Pressure > 140/90mmHg or taking drugs, obesity if BMI> 30, dyslipidaemia if S. triglyceride > 150mg/dl and HDL < 35 mg/dl or taking drugs. Abnormal blood glucose plus 2 or 3 criteria were sufficient for diagnosis. Results: sixty patients were diagnosed to have the metabolic syndrome (22.64%). Twenty three (23) patients were male and thirty seven (37) were female patients. Dyslipidaemia was the commonest component of the syndrome among our patients followed by hypertension and obesity respectively. Dyslipidaemia with obesity were the commonest components among male patients. Dyslipidaemia with hypertension were the commonest components among female patients. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among male patients was 19.49% and among female patients was 25.17%. Conclusion: the metabolic syndrome may occur in patients with type 2 diabetes. Routine investigations for its components should be done to look for its occurrence.