The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Erbil city

Background and objectives: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the accumulation of fatty units in the liver in the absence of other triggers. Its development may have been primarily caused by metabolic syndrome, so the purpose of this study is to identify the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and then to discover which parameter has the strongest link with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Methods: This cross-sectional study of 90 participants more than 18 years old with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease diagnosed by sonography in Erbil from August 2022 to May 2023. In each individual, metabolic syndrome criteria were taken and measured according to the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III criteria, which were diagnosed by having three or more of these criteria, and ultrasound was used for the grading of fatty liver. Results: Metabolic syndrome were revealed in 69 (76.67%) of the participants. A higher proportion of patients were female 51 (56.67%) and male 39 (43.33%). It revealed a statistically significant correlation between gender and metabolic syndrome, with females and males having a corresponding 44 (49%) and 25 (28%) correlation, respectively. The most frequent factor was an expanded waist circumference in 66 (73.33%) of participants, followed by triglyceride in 62 (68.89%). Conclusion: In this study, among patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease significant number of the subjects had metabolic syndrome, with an increased waist circumference being the most prevalent feature, followed by high triglyceride levels, hyperglycemia, hypertension, and low high-density lipoprotein.