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. 2021 Dec;44(12):2845-2847.
doi: 10.1007/s40618-021-01563-y. Epub 2021 May 26.

Metabolic syndrome in the era of COVID-19 outbreak: impact of lockdown on cardiometabolic health

R S Auriemma  1 , R Pirchio  1 , A Liccardi  1 , R Scairati  1 , G Del Vecchio  1 , R Pivonello  1 , A Colao  2   3
Affiliations

Metabolic syndrome in the era of COVID-19 outbreak: impact of lockdown on cardiometabolic health

R S Auriemma et al. J Endocrinol Invest. 2021 Dec.

Abstract

Purpose: COVID-19 pandemics and cardiometabolic health are mutually interconnected. Chronic metabolic diseases are known risk factors for increased mortality after SARS-CoV-2 infection. In turn, COVID pandemics imposed sudden changes in lifestyle and social isolation with consequent potential cardiometabolic sequelae. The present study aimed at investigating the impact of changes in lifestyle and social life on metabolic profile in hyperprolactinemic or osteoporotic patients without pre-existing cardiometabolic diseases at the time of COVID-19.

Methods: The primary study outcome measurement was the prevalence of obesity, arterial hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or diabetes mellitus (DM), dyslipidemia and metabolic syndrome after COVID-19 outbreak. Seventy-four patients (21 men and 53 women, aged 51.8 ± 17.8 years) were admitted to the outpatient clinic of the Neuroendocrine Disease Unit at University "Federico II" of Naples, Italy, as per their routine clinical practice because of tumoral and non-tumoral hyperprolactinemia in 52 patients (70.3%), and osteoporosis/osteopenia in 22 (29.7%). Among female patients, 25 (47.2%) were at menopausal age.

Results: At the end of lockdown, prevalence of obesity (from 37.8% to 51.3%, p < 0.0001), dyslipidemia (from 28.4 to 48.6%, p = 0.003) and metabolic syndrome (from 14.9 to 27%, p < 0.0001) significantly increased compared to pre-COVID evaluation. No significant change was found in the prevalence of arterial hypertension and IGT/DM.

Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 outbreak has led to a rapid increase in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, potentially contributing to the increased COVID-19 related mortality.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemics; Cardiometabolic risk; Changes in lifestyle; Metabolic syndrome; Restrictions; Social isolation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Changes in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, impaired fasting glucose/diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension and obesity after COVID-19 outbreak. Consequently to the restrictive measures required for COVID-19 pandemics and total lockdown, prevalence of metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia and obesity significantly increased in the present cohort of hyperprolactinemic or osteoporotic patients without pre-existing metabolic disorders before COVID-19 outbreak
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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