Prevalence and determinants of metabolic syndrome among adults living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy in the West Region of Cameroon: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

The epidemiology and factors associated with the onset of metabolic syndrome (MS) in the context of HIV remain poorly understood. In this cross-sectional study (September-October 2024, West Cameroon, two hospitals), we estimated the prevalence of MS and identified risk factors among 300 antiretroviral therapy (ART)-treated people living with HIV (PLHIV). MS was defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program – Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP-ATP) III criteria. Lipid profiles were from serum; diabetic/hypertensive status from records. Regression analyses used R software (threshold 0.05). The prevalence of MS was 15.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 11.2-19.1). Factors associated with MS included being older than 40 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=2.8; 95% CI: 1.0-7.6; p=0.041), female sex (aOR=1.2; 95% CI: 1.1-1.9; p=0.044), treatment duration ≥1 year (aOR=1.1; 95% CI: 1.0-2.2; p=0.015). The regimen based on dolutegravir (DTG), an integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI), was associated with MS in the univariate analysis; however, this association was no longer statistically significant after adjustment for other factors. MS is common among PLHIV on ART in the West Region of Cameroon, influenced by patient-related factors, and duration of treatment. The therapeutic follow-up protocol for PLHIV should include monitoring for MS to reduce the occurrence of opportunistic diseases.