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Sex differences in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components in hypopituitary patients: comparison with an age- and sex-matched nationwide control group

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Abstract

Purpose

Hypopituitary patients have a reduced life expectancy owing to cardiovascular events. We investigated the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in hypopituitary patients for a follow-up period of at least 1 year in comparison with an age- and sex-matched nationwide control group.

Methods

A total of 515 patients with hypopituitarism who visited Seoul National University Hospital between January 2000 and December 2010 were included. Data for an age- and sex-matched control group were obtained from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) (n = 1545). Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the modified National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP-ATPIII).

Results

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome did not differ significantly between the hypopituitary and control groups for men (34.9 versus 30.3 %), but the risk of metabolic syndrome was higher in hypopituitary women than in controls (39.8 versus 28.5 %). In both sexes, the risks of central obesity and dyslipidemia were higher in the hypopituitary group than in the control group. Men had lower risks of hypertension and hyperglycemia in the hypopituitary group, which attenuated the risk of metabolic syndrome. Age greater than 40 years and obesity (BMI ≥25 kg/m2) contributed to a higher risk of metabolic syndrome.

Conclusions

The metabolic syndrome prevalence was higher in the hypopituitry group than in the control group in Korean women, and this was attributed to an increased risk of central obesity and dyslipidemia. Accordingly, early intervention to reduce metabolic syndrome needed in hypopituitary patients, i.e. women.

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Acknowledgments

We thank all colleagues who contributed to the study.

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Correspondence to Jung Hee Kim.

Ethics declarations

The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and complies with the current laws of the countries in which it was performed. An independent ethics committee or institutional review board for each study site approved the study protocol.

Conflict of interest

Nothing to declare.

Informed consent

An informed consent was waivered due to a retrospective study.

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Khang, A.R., Ku, E.J., Kim, Y.A. et al. Sex differences in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components in hypopituitary patients: comparison with an age- and sex-matched nationwide control group. Pituitary 19, 573–581 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11102-016-0747-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11102-016-0747-9

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