ABSTRACT
Objective: This study was designed to examine the effect of metabolic syndrome [MetS] on health-related quality of life [HRQOL] in patients with suspected nonalcoholic steatohepatitis [NASH]
Subjects and Methods: Three hundred thirty-two patients [236 males and 96 females] with suspected NASH from the Amol cohort study were included in this study. MetS was diagnosed based on Adult Treatment Panel III criteria and HRQOL was measured using the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey [SF-12] questionnaire [with 8 subscales and 2 summary components]. A multivariable linear regression model was used to assess the independent effect of MetS on HRQOL
Results: The mean age of the study population was 42 +/- 13 years [range 18-82]. The prevalence of MetS was 43.4% [n = 144] and the mean scores on the Physical Component Summary [PCS] and the Mental Component Summary were 72.4 +/- 20.86 and 42.7 +/- 12.42, respectively. The multivariable linear regression model showed that MetS was negatively associated with 4 subscales of HRQOL that included: role limitations due to physical problems [RP] [B = -14.05, p = 0.004], bodily pain [BP] [B = -7.37, p = 0.02], vitality [VT] [B = -7.72, p = 0.022], and role limitations due to emotional problems [RE] [B = -12.67, p = 0.005] after adjustment for other variables. Also, MetS had a borderline association with the general health and mental health subscales and the PCS [p < 0.1]
Conclusion: In this study, there was a strong association between MetS and 4 subscales [RP, BP, VT, and RE] of HRQOL in patients with suspected NASH; this could be considered as a part of health policy to improve general health