Study of Prothrombotic Changes in Metabolic Syndrome

The metabolic syndrome is a complex disorder of various metabolic risk factors in a single individual having central obesity and commonly associated with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The aim of our study was to study the relationship between coagulation abnormalities and metabolic syndrome. We performed a prospective cross-sectional study in a tertiary care hospital. A total of fifty cases of metabolic syndrome and fifty age & sex matched controls were selected. These two groups were investigated for Prothrombin Time (PT), Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT), Fibrinogen levels, Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1(PAI1) levels and Factor VIII levels. In cases with metabolic syndrome, significantly increased levels of Fibrinogen, Factor VIII and Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor1 (PAI1) were observed. PT & APTT were shorter in cases with metabolic syndrome. The coagulation parameters studied, correlated significantly with the components of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a hypercoagulable state and further studies are required for further evaluation of the consequences of this hypercoagulable state. There is a need for clinical trials evaluating prophylactic anticoagulation for prevention of venous thrombosis in patients with metabolic syndrome.