Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome among Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study from Northern India

Abstract

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a systemic disorder in which metabolic syndrome (MetS) contributes substantially to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Data on MetS in COPD from northern India are limited.

Aims and Objective: To determine the prevalence of MetS among COPD patients using NCEP ATP III and IDF criteria, and to compare clinical, metabolic, and spirometric profiles of patients with and without MetS.

Materials and Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study included 183 spirometry-confirmed COPD patients aged ≥30 years. MetS was defined by the original 2001 NCEP ATP III criteria (fasting glucose ≥110 mg/dL) and IDF ethnicity-specific criteria. Continuous variables were compared using Welch’s t-test or Mann–Whitney U test after Shapiro–Wilk normality testing; categorical variables using Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test. Agreement between definitions was assessed by Cohen’s kappa, and multivariable logistic regression identified factors independently associated with MetS.

Results: MetS was present in 77/183 (42.1%) by NCEP ATP III and 92/183 (50.3%) by IDF criteria. Seventy-two patients met both definitions, 5 NCEP ATP III only, 20 IDF only, and 86 neither (observed agreement 86.3%; κ=0.73). Patients with MetS had higher BMI (26.5±4.8 vs. 21.8±3.6 kg/m²), waist circumference (96.4±8.9 vs. 85.6±8.3 cm), blood pressure, glycaemic indices, triglycerides, and inflammatory markers, with lower HDL-C. GOLD stage and post-bronchodilator FEV1 did not differ significantly, although FEF25–75 and PEFR were lower in the MetS group.

Conclusion: MetS affects nearly half of COPD patients in this cohort. Routine MetS screening should be integrated into COPD evaluation to enable early management of cardiometabolic risk.