Body composition and metabolic syndrome in patients with primary gout in Vietnam

To characterize the body composition, to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), and to examine the association between body composition and the components of MetS in Vietnamese patients with primary gout.

A total of 107 males with gout and 107 age-matched healthy males underwent physical examination, body composition assessment by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and blood tests. Both the original and revised National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP/ATP) III criteria were used to define MetS.

Means of total body and trunk fat mass in patients with gout were higher (P<0.001) than those in controls: 20.9 vs 13.3 kg and 11.4 vs 6.1 kg, respectively. The prevalence of MetS according to the original and revised NCEP/ATP III criteria in patients with gout was also higher (P<0.001) than in controls (33.6 vs 15.9% and 56.1 vs 23.4%), respectively. In patients with gout, total fat mass was strongly correlated with BMI (r=0.86, P<0.001), while trunk fat mass was strongly correlated with waist circumference (r=0.91, P<0.001). Total fat mass, trunk fat mass and trunk fat mass/legs fat mass ratio were positively correlated (P<0.05) with glycaemia, triglyceridaemia, blood pressure and negatively correlated (P<0.05) with high-density liproprotein cholesterol levels.

Patients with gout had significantly higher fat mass, especially in the trunk region, and higher prevalence of MetS than healthy controls. Therefore, management of weight and MetS should be emphasized in patients with gout to reduce their risk of cardiovascular diseases.