Metabolic syndrome in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus from South India

Abstract

ObjectivesTo find the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) compared to controls and to identify association of metabolic syndrome with SLE disease activity and damage. MethodsA total of 82 SLE and 82 healthy controls were studied. Metabolic syndrome was defined by National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III), consensus definition for Asian Indian Adults and World Health Organisation (WHO) 1999 definition, and associations with lupus characteristics, disease activity, and damage were examined. Insulin resistance (IR) was estimated using the homeostasis model assessment for IR (HOMA-IR). ResultsMetabolic syndrome was present in 24.39% SLE and 12.19% controls (p<0.04) by NCEP ATP III criteria; 29.26% SLE and 19.51% controls (p=0.14) by consensus definition for Asian Indians; 18.2% SLE and 7.31% controls (p<0.035) by WHO 1999 criteria.Hypertension and hypertriglyceridemia were more frequent in SLE than in controls. Mean body mass index, diastolic and systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, and total cholesterol were higher in SLE than in controls. HOMA-IR (median, range) was 1.31 (0.06–9.32) and 1.55 (0.01–7.92), p=0.09 in SLE and controls, respectively. There was no association of metabolic syndrome with disease activity/damage and prednisolone use. SLE patients with metabolic syndrome had a significantly longer duration of disease compared to patients without metabolic syndrome. ConclusionSouth Indian SLE patients have higher prevalence of NCEP ATP III and WHO defined metabolic syndrome compared to healthy controls. SLE patients have an altered lipid profile, but there was no IR and no association of metabolic syndrome with disease activity or damage.