Metabolic syndrome in drug naïve patients with substance use disorder

Metabolic syndrome is a combination of insulin resistance, impaired glucose regulation, dyslipidemia, hypertension, microalbuminuria and obesity and this increases the risk for diabetes, myocardial infarction and thus increases the risk of mortality. Substance dependence is considered as a prominent risk factor for metabolic syndrome, but not much work has been done in this field. Thus this study is aimed to know the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in drug naïve substance users.

A total of 50 consecutive indoor drug naive patients with substance dependence (as per ICD 10) were included. Metabolic syndrome was assessed as per WHO criteria for metabolic syndrome. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 17.0 software and Chi square test was applied.

Of the 50 subjects (46% used alcohol; 26% used opioid and 28% were multiple substance users), a total of 20% of the subjects met the WHO criteria for metabolic syndrome and all of them were only alcoholics. Commonest abnormalities were low HDL (48%), raised SBP/DBP (26%/22%) and TG's (18%). Age, weight, height, DBP and BMI were significant predictors of metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is a common entity seen in patients with substance abuse, especially in patients with alcohol use disorder, as seen in our study.