Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components among patients with various psychiatric diagnoses and treatments: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence and clinical correlates of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components among patients with psychiatric disorders. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among adult patients with psychiatric disorders at major hospitals in Saudi Arabia. After measurements were recorded for all MetS components, demographic and clinical information was obtained mainly by reviewing the patients' medical charts. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of MetS among the 992 study participants was 41.2%, high triglycerides was 32.8%, large waist circumference was 42.2%, high blood pressure was 42.5%, high fasting blood sugar was 47.8%, and low HDL cholesterol was 52.5%. Participants with MetS were more likely to be older, illiterate, divorced or widowed, have a higher number of children, older age of onset of psychiatric illness, longer duration of psychiatric disease, no previous psychiatric hospitalization, and have a history of diabetes and hypertension. After adjusting for significant demographic and clinical characteristics, none of the psychiatric diagnoses and treatments was independently associated with MetS, except the use of mirtazapine and venlafaxine. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of MetS and its components among patients with psychiatric disorders is alarming irrespective of their diagnoses. Thus, metabolic screening especially among high risk groups is critical.