Characteristics of quality of life indicators in young individuals with metabolic syndrome and chronic musculoskeletal pain

Abstract

Introduction. The metabolic syndrome (MS) is a significant clinical and epidemiological problem in the population of industrialised countries. The data from epidemiological studies on MS are not optimistic. Nowadays, metabolic syndrome is one of the main health issues in many countries around the world. In Ukraine, the incidence of metabolic syndrome varies from 20 to 35% (in women, the last occurs 2.5 times more often, and the number of patients increases with age). There is a considerable amount of evidence that points to the relationship between obesity and chronic pain (CP). According to electronic medical records from the Veterans Health Administration, obesity was significantly associated with persistent pain complaints. Today, more and more attention is being paid to the study of the combined course of MS and CP. The high medical and social significance of both MS and CP is determined by their considerable contribution to the deterioration of the health of people of socially active age, substantial costs of diagnosis and treatment, reduced quality of life (QOL) and disability. The purpose of the study is to assess the quality of life of young people with metabolic syndrome and chronic musculoskeletal pain using the questionnaire SF-36, as well as to study and analyse its components. The research methods: The study involved 97 young women with MS. The questionnaire SF-36 was used to assess the quality of life of young women with metabolic syndrome and chronic musculoskeletal pain. The results. Among the indicators of the studied women was the assessment of the degree to which their emotional state interferes with their daily activities: it was 66.7 (33.3; 66.7) units. At the same time, the lowest quality of life in women was observed in the general state of health, which was 42.0 (32.0; 50.0) units. Preliminary analysis has shown that WC/HC has the greatest impact on physical preparedness and pain syndrome in women with MS; none of the indicators of women’s quality of life is statistically significantly different (p>0.05) depending on the ratio of body length to body weight of a woman. According to the ratio of waist to hip circumference, women have statistically significant (p<0.05) differences between the indicators of their quality of life, except for social functioning, where statistically significant differences (p>0.05) were not recorded. All women with an WC to HC ratio of less than 0,85 have significantly higher quality of life indicators. Comparing the physical and psychological components of health, it was found that women with a normal ratio of WC to HC have significantly higher rates compared to women whose ratio exceeds the recommended norms. Conclusions. Abdominal obesity in the setting of metabolic syndrome limits women’s vital activity to a greater extent than it affects their emotional state. The results obtained indicate that when developing a programme of rehabilitation measures for young women with MS, it is necessary to focus primarily on means that reduce fat deposition in the waist and abdomen (abdominal obesity), taking into account the limitations associated with pain in various parts of the musculoskeletal system.