Abstract

Background: The Syrian crisis has had a big impact on the country as a whole, including its health and economy. Since Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) has several risk factors, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the crisis on its prevalence.

Methods: A convenient sample of 1550 healthy subjects aged 18-82 years participated in this study from 2010 till 2015. MetS prevalence was compared between the pre-crisis period and crisis period.

Results: MetS prevalence was found to be significantly lower during the crisis period compared to the pre-crisis period, whereby it was 20.1% in 2010 compared to 11% in 2015.Still, when hospital admissions from cardiovascular disease (CVD) were compared between the pre-crisis and crisis periods, the latter was found to be significantly higher during the crisis as opposed to the pre-crisis period.

Conclusion: The lower prevalence of MetS in the crisis period could be attributed to the change in lifestyle (physical activity and dietary habits). Still, hospital admissions from CVD increased, which could be explained by the increase in psychological stress from the crisis. Thus, further studies need to investigate the effect of both MetS and stress on CVD.

Keywords: Metabolic Syndrome; Crisis; Cardiovascular Disease; Stress

References

1. Galassi Andrea., et al. “Metabolic Syndrome and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Meta-Analysis”. The American Journal of Medicine10 (2006): 812-819.
2. Isomaa BO., et al. “Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality Associated with the Metabolic Syndrome”. Diabetes Care4 (2001): 683-689.
3. Malik, Shaista., et al. “Impact of the Metabolic Syndrome on Mortality from Coronary Heart Disease, Cardiovascular Disease, and All Causes in United States Adults”. Circulation 10 (2004): 1245-1250.
4. Han Thang S and Mike EJ Lean. "A Clinical Perspective of Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Disease”. JRSM Cardiovascular Disease 5 (2016): 2048004016633371.
5. Zhou Ji-Yin., et al. “Omentin: Linking Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Disease”. Current Vascular Pharmacology1 (2014): 136-143.
6. Mongraw-Chaffin Morgana., et al. “Metabolically Healthy Obesity, Transition to Metabolic Syndrome, and Cardiovascular Risk”. Journal of the American College of Cardiology17 (2018): 1857-1865.
7. Kaur Jaspinder. "A Comprehensive Review on Metabolic Syndrome”. Cardiology Research and Practice (2014).
8. Lovic Milan B., et al. “Impact of Metabolic Syndrome on Clinical Severity and Long-Term Prognosis in Patients with Myocardial Infarction with St-Segment Elevation”. Hellenic Journal of Cardiology4 (2018): 226-231.
9. Saklayen Mohammad G. "The Global Epidemic of the Metabolic Syndrome”. Current Hypertension Reports2 (2018): 12.
10. Li Yaru., et al. “Metabolic Syndrome Prevalence and Its Risk Factors among Adults in China: A Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Study”. PLoS One6 (2018): e0199293.
11. Aguilar Maria., et al. “Prevalence of the Metabolic Syndrome in the United States, 2003-2012”. The Journal of the American Medical Association 19 (2015): 1973-1974.
12. Adedoyin Rufus A., et al. “Relationship between Socioeconomic Status and Metabolic Syndrome among Nigerian Adults”. Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research and Reviews2 (2013): 91-94.
13. Santos Ana C., et al. “Gender, Socio-Economic Status and Metabolic Syndrome in Middle-Aged and Old Adults”. BMC Public Health1 (2008): 62.
14. Organization World Health. "World Health Organization Syrian Arab Republic: Annual Report 2018”. (2018).
15. Barakat Hani., et al. “Cvd and Obesity in Transitional Syria: A Perspective from the Middle East”. Vascular Health and Risk Management 8 (2012): 145.
16. Alourfi Zaynab. "Identifying the Optimal Waist Circumference Cut-Off Point of Metabolic Syndrome among Apparently Healthy Syrian Adults”. EC Endocrinology and Metabolic Research 4 (2019): 376-382.
17. Sayed-Hassan Rima., et al. “Vitamin D Status and Parathyroid Hormone Levels in Relation to Bone Mineral Density in Apparently Healthy Syrian Adults”. Archives of Osteoporosis1 (2016): 18.
18. Lilianne HH and A Zaynab. "Serum Lipids Effect on Bone Mineral Density: A Pilot Study in Apparently Healthy Syrians”. Internal Medicine 179 (2014): 2.
19. Alberti George., et al. “The Idf Consensus Worldwide Definition of the Metabolic Syndrome”. Brussels: International Diabetes Federation”. (2006).
20. Lakka Timo A and David E Laaksonen. "Physical Activity in Prevention and Treatment of the Metabolic Syndrome”. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism1 (2007): 76-88.
21. Panagiotakos Demosthenes B., et al. “The Association between Food Patterns and the Metabolic Syndrome Using Principal Components Analysis: The Attica Study”. Journal of the American Dietetic Association6 (2007): 979-987.
22. Shin Aesun., et al. “Dietary Intake, Eating Habits, and Metabolic Syndrome in Korean Men”. Journal of the American Dietetic Association4 (2009): 633-640.
23. Damiri Basma., et al. “Metabolic Syndrome among Overweight and Obese Adults in Palestinian Refugee Camps”. Diabetology and Metabolic Syndrome1 (2018): 34.
24. Proietti Riccardo., et al. “Mental Stress and Ischemic Heart Disease: Evolving Awareness of a Complex Association”. Future Cardiology3 (2011): 425-437.
25. Ma Huan., et al. “The Role of the Myocardial Microvasculature in Mental Stress–Induced Myocardial Ischemia”. Clinical Cardiology4 (2016): 234-239.
26. Merz C Noel Bairey., et al. “Psychosocial Stress and Cardiovascular Disease: Pathophysiological Links”. Behavioral Medicine4 (2002): 141-147.
27. Steptoe Andrew and Mika Kivimäki. "Stress and Cardiovascular Disease”. Nature Reviews Cardiology6 (2012): 360.