Seroprevalence of and its association with metabolic syndrome in a rural community of Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND AND AIM

As the interrelationship between , metabolic syndrome (MetS), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is controversial, we undertook a community-based study with the aim to find the seroprevalence of and its relationship with MetS and NAFLD.

METHODS

This door-to-door survey was conducted among the adult subjects (≥18 years) of two villages (Charcharia of Dhaka district and Kharrah of Munshiganj district) of Bangladesh. Interviews using a structured questionnaire, clinical examination, anthropometric measurements, ultrasonogram of the liver, and biochemical tests were performed.

RESULTS

Of 1021 subjects, 781 responded (76.49%), and 767 were included in the final analysis (mean age 40.35 ± 15.56 years; female 63.5%). Anti- antibodies were found in 418 of 767 (54.5%). There were no serostatus association with MetS and diabetes mellitus (DM) in univariate or multivariate analysis (all  > 0.05). However, seropositive subjects had lower systolic blood pressure (odds ratio [OR] = -2.95 [-5.58, -0.32]) and low density lipoprotein -cholesterol (OR -7.79 [-15, -0.57]) compared to seronegative subjects in the linear regression model. Seronegativity of was associated with NALFD in univariate ( = 0.007) but not multivariate analysis ( = 0.086). There were no differences in the frequency of seropositivity among the participants with nonobese compared to obese NAFLD (19/42 [45%] 43/99 [43.4%], = 0.844).

CONCLUSION

In a rural community of Bangladesh, about 55% of the population were seropositive, which was more common among the underweight than normal or obese subjects. However, there was no relationship observed between seroprevalence and MetS, DM, or NAFLD.