Metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk in patients on chronic hemodialysis of University Hospital of Annaba

Abstract

While cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in chronic hemodialysis patients the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in these patients is currently poorly explored. The metabolic syndrome is composed of various abnormalities, which considered separately can be considered as innocuous. However, if they are found together in the same patient, they represent a major cardiovascular risk. The objective of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in chronic hemodialysis patients in the nephrology service of Annaba University Hospital. A prospective study was conducted on 60 patients with end-stage renal failure treated by hemodialysis recruited from the nephrology and hemodialysis unit of Annaba University Hospital in Algeria. The mean patients’ age was 41.55 ± 14.1 years old with a slight male predominance, the sex ratio M/F was 1.14. The data were collected by using a questionnaire including the patient size, weight, waist circumference and blood pressure. The biochemical parameters included: blood glucose, total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C and triglycerides. The metabolic syndrome was present in 47% of the study population. Arterial hypertension was the most common abnormality with a prevalence of 70% followed by the decrease in HDL-C and abdominal obesity in 65% and 52% of the study population, respectively. Hypertriglyceridemia was present in 40%, and hyperglycemia in 35% of the patients. The cardiovascular risk was predominantly multifactorial: 58% of patients had at least 2 risk factors associated with their hypertension. The frequency and severity of cardiovascular and coronary complications, particularly in chronic uremia, necessitates a correction of risk factors, some of which are inherent in chronic renal failure. The evaluation of the metabolic syndrome is a mean of screening so as to prevent its complications, in particular the cardiovascular ones, the main cause of death in these patients.