Diagnostic concordance of modified NCEP-ATP III and IDF criteria for screening metabolic syndrome among Yemeni medical students

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

Modified NCEP-ATP III and IDF criteria showed 96.0% diagnostic agreement (κ = 0.83, p < 0.001) with metabolic syndrome prevalence of 15.3% vs 11.3% among Yemeni medical students.

Q: What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Cross-Sectional. Population: Metabolic syndrome screening (n=300). Intervention: International Diabetes Federation (IDF) metabolic syndrome criteria vs. Modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) criteria. Primary outcome: Metabolic syndrome prevalence and diagnostic concordance between IDF and modified NCEP-ATP III criteria (Cohen's κ 0.83, 95% CI 0.71-0.95, p=<0.001).

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

Modified NCEP-ATP III and IDF criteria exhibit high diagnostic agreement (96.0%, κ = 0.83) for metabolic syndrome screening, though modified NCEP-ATP III identifies a higher prevalence (15.3% vs. 11.3%) by detecting metabolically at-risk individuals without mandatory central obesity. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.CONFIRMATORY. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

Q: What question did this study set out to answer?

To compare the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and determine the diagnostic concordance between the modified NCEP-ATP III and IDF screening criteria among healthy medical students.

Abdulsalam Al-Shami

doi:10.1038/s41598-026-79401-5

November 5, 2026Scientific ReportsOpen Access

Diagnostic concordance of modified NCEP-ATP III and IDF criteria for screening metabolic syndrome among Yemeni medical students

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Share

Key result

Modified NCEP-ATP III and IDF criteria demonstrate ~96% agreement for metabolic syndrome diagnosis.

Cohen's κ 0.83
95% CI 0.71-0.95
P<0.001
n=300

Why the study?

Conflict-affected, resource-limited environments like Yemen face rising non-communicable disease burdens, yet comparative data on metabolic syndrome screening tools remain scarce.

Does the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria demonstrate diagnostic concordance with the modified NCEP-ATP III criteria for screening metabolic syndrome in apparently healthy Yemeni medical students?

Key Points

To compare the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and determine the diagnostic concordance between the modified NCEP-ATP III and IDF screening criteria among healthy medical students.
Cross-sectional assessment of 300 apparently healthy medical students (141 males, 159 females; mean age 22.6 ± 2.1 years) at Taiz University, Yemen.
Evaluated demographic, anthropometric, clinical, and fasting biochemical measurements, including blood pressure, waist circumference, lipid panel, and blood glucose.
Observed metabolic syndrome prevalence was 15.3% (n = 46) under modified NCEP-ATP III criteria and 11.3% (n = 34) under IDF criteria.
Diagnostic agreement was 96.0% with almost perfect concordance (Cohen’s κ = 0.83; p < 0.001), while IDF demonstrated 73.9% sensitivity and 100.0% specificity against NCEP-ATP III.
Twelve participants (4.0% of the total cohort, representing 26.1% of NCEP-ATP III-positive cases) were classified as NCEP-ATP III-positive but IDF-negative due to lacking the mandatory elevated waist circumference.

Study Design

Type

Cross-Sectional (n=300)

Multicenter

No

Structured PICO

Does the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria demonstrate diagnostic concordance with the modified NCEP-ATP III criteria for screening metabolic syndrome in apparently healthy Yemeni medical students?

P

Population

300 apparently healthy undergraduate medical students at Taiz University, Yemen (mean age 22.6 years, 53.0% female) evaluated in a cross-sectional study from March to July 2024.

E

Exposure

International Diabetes Federation (IDF) 2005 diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome (mandatory prerequisite of central obesity defined as waist circumference ≥90 cm in males or ≥80 cm in females, plus any two of: FBG ≥100 mg/dL, TG ≥150 mg/dL, HDL-C <40 mg/dL in males or <50 mg/dL in females, or BP ≥130/85 mmHg).

C

Comparator

Modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) 2005 diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome (at least three of the five metabolic components without a mandatory central obesity prerequisite, using identical thresholds including Asian/Middle Eastern waist circumference cutoffs of ≥90 cm for males and ≥80 cm for females).

O

Outcome

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and diagnostic concordance (observed agreement, Cohen's kappa coefficient, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV) between IDF and modified NCEP-ATP III criteria.surrogate

Main Result

Effect estimate: Cohen's κ 0.83 (95% CI 0.71-0.95)

Absolute Event Rate: 11.3% vs 15.3%

p-value: p=<0.001

Limitations

Cross-sectional study design precludes establishing definitive causal relationships or temporal directions.
Non-probability convenience sampling strategy limits broader population-level generalizability.
Single-center investigation focused exclusively on university medical students at Taiz University, limiting generalizability to the general adult Yemeni population.
Serum insulin concentrations and HOMA-IR were not measured, limiting mechanistic insights into non-obese metabolic syndrome phenotypes.
Smaller sample sizes within sex-stratified sub-cohorts limit the statistical precision of gender-specific estimates.
Cross-sectional architecture captures clinical and biochemical profiles at a single point in time, precluding causal inference.
Single-center study restricted to university medical students at Taiz University, limiting generalizability to the broader adult Yemeni population.
Serum insulin concentrations and HOMA-IR were not measured.
Smaller sample sizes in gender-stratified analyses limit statistical precision of sex-specific estimates.

Ask about this paper

Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.

Implication

While modified NCEP-ATP III and IDF criteria show almost perfect concordance (κ = 0.83) among Yemeni medical students, modified NCEP-ATP III identifies an additional 26.1% of metabolically at-risk individuals who lack central obesity.

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MS) drives cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Conflict-affected, resource-limited environments like Yemen face rising non-communicable disease burdens, yet comparative data on screening tools remain scarce. This cross-sectional study compared MS prevalence using the modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) versus the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria, evaluating their diagnostic concordance among 300 apparently healthy medical students at Taiz University, Yemen. Demographic, clinical, anthropometric, and fasting biochemical profiles were systematically evaluated. The observed MS prevalence was 15.3% and 11.3% according to the modified NCEP-ATP III and the IDF criteria, respectively. Twelve participants (4.0% of the total cohort) were classified as NCEP-ATP III-positive but IDF-negative, representing 26.1% of all NCEP-ATP III-positive participants. Observed diagnostic agreement was 96.0% with almost perfect concordance (Cohen’s κ = 0.83; p < 0.001). Using NCEP-ATP III as the comparator definition, the IDF criteria demonstrated 73.9% sensitivity and 100.0% specificity. Reduced HDL-C, elevated triglycerides, and elevated waist circumference were the primary risk variables. While both criteria demonstrate high diagnostic agreement, the modified NCEP-ATP III offers broader clinical utility for early screening within disrupted settings by evaluating risk factors independently of an absolute obesity filter, capturing a subset of metabolically at-risk, non-obese individuals.

Discussion

No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.

Cite This Study

Abdulsalam Al-Shami (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Metabolic syndrome screening (n=300). International Diabetes Federation (IDF) metabolic syndrome criteria vs. Modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) criteria was evaluated on Metabolic syndrome prevalence and diagnostic concordance between IDF and modified NCEP-ATP III criteria (Cohen's κ 0.83, 95% CI 0.71-0.95, p=<0.001). Modified NCEP-ATP III and IDF criteria showed 96.0% diagnostic agreement (κ = 0.83, p < 0.001) with metabolic syndrome prevalence of 15.3% vs 11.3% among Yemeni medical students.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aeec03a2765dd7d89fe5607 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-79401-5

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Share

Diagnostic concordance of modified NCEP-ATP III and IDF criteria for screening metabolic syndrome among Yemeni medical students

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

Diagnostic concordance of modified NCEP-ATP III and IDF criteria for screening metabolic syndrome among Yemeni medical students

Key Points

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

Keep reading

Keep reading