Study Finds Metabolic Syndrome Higher in Men With COPD, Airway Obstruction

There is limited existing research on the incidence of metabolic syndrome in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, a recent study aimed to determine the incidence of metabolic syndrome in men with COPD who experience airway obstruction.

The study used data representing 4 years of follow-ups from the Ansung-Ansan cohort—a community-based sample that was evaluated in the Korean Genome and Epidemiology study (KoGES). The Ansung-Ansan cohort used in the study consisted of 6184 adults, who were at least 40 years old and underwent spirometry.

Throughout the analysis, the researchers defined airway obstruction as mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) <70%. Metabolic syndrome was defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. Lung function tests were performed using a portable spirometer in addition to each patient undergoing pulmonary function testing.

“Many of the previous studies regarding MetS [metabolic syndrome] in COPD were cross-sectional and primarily focused on the prevalence, rather than the incidence, of MetS in patients with COPD,” the study noted. “Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the incidence and characteristics of MetS in COPD patients using data from a large community-based cohort.”

A total of 3604 subjects were included in the study and based on the treatment guidelines, a total of 419 patients were newly diagnosed with metabolic syndrome during follow-up. The analysis of the data revealed that metabolic syndrome was more frequent in COPD subjects, when compared to non-COPD subjects, in both sexes. Specifically, for men, the risk for metabolic syndrome was higher in individuals with airflow obstruction than in those without obstruction.

Furthermore, the incidence of metabolic syndrome in COPD patients was most influenced by fasting blood glucose level and high blood pressure. Also, prevalence was higher in older, male COPD patients who demonstrated higher body mass index and severe smoking status.

“The incidence of MetS was higher in the airflow obstruction group, even after adjustment for other confounding factors, including age, BMI, smoking, and physical activity, in male subjects,” the researchers said. “This finding is consistent with previous studies that have reported an increased prevalence of MetS in patients with COPD.”

The researchers noted that their research was limited as it did not consider certain comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disease and malignancies. The researchers also suggested the need for future longitudinal and interventional studies with larger sample sizes that investigate the relationship between airflow obstruction and the incidence of metabolic syndrome in the general population.

Reference

Kim CY, Park Y, Leem AY, et al. Relationship between airway obstruction and incidence of metabolic syndrome in Korea: a community-based cohort study. [published online June 28, 2018]. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. doi.org: 10.2147/COPD.S157453