MAGNITUDE OF METABOLIC SYNDROME AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG RENAL TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS: EXPERIENCE FROM A NEW CENTER, ADDIS ABABA

Introduction: Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. It is also common in renal transplant recipients and is associated with increased risk of graft dysfunction and cardiovascular mortality. Its magnitude is not known in our Ethiopian patients. Objective: The study is conducted to determine the magnitude of metabolic syndrome and associated factors among renal transplant recipients. Methods: Analytical cross-sectional design was used. Eighty-seven Ethiopian renal transplant recipients having follow-up at St. Paul Hospital’s Millennium Medical College Kidney Transplant Centre were studied from May to July 2018. A structured data collection format was used to collect data. Contextualized “WHO STEPS Instrument for Non-communicable Diseases Risk Factor Surveillance” was utilized for collecting data on behavioral risk factors, biophysical measurements and laboratory tests. The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome was made according to the revised National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Data were described by frequencies, percentage and mean (+SD). Comparative analysis between variables was done using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. Statistical significance of the prediction was declared at p-value < 0.05 with 95% confidence interval. Results: Majority 64 (73.6%) of the cases were male patients. Most of them were young with mean (+SD) age of 35.8 (+11.9) years. Hypertension was the commonest component of metabolic syndrome accounting for 49 (56.3%) of cases. The magnitude of metabolic syndrome was 34.5%. Only central obesity (P value = 0.046; AOR 39.1 (95% CI 1.1, 141) and hyperglycemia (P=0.031; AOR 25.1 (95%CI 1.3, 467.8) were significantly associated with metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: The magnitude of metabolic syndrome was high in our kidney transplant recipients. However, only waist circumference and hyperglycemia were found to have significant association with metabolic syndrome. Comprehensive preventive strategies should be implemented for management of metabolic syndrome to minimize its impact.