Validation of a non-laboratorial questionnaire to identify Metabolic Syndrome among a population in central Mexico

• Published in: Revista panamericana de salud pública Vol. 43; pp. e9 - 10
• Main Authors: Porchia, Leonardo M, Lara-Solis, Beatriz, Torres-Rasgado, Enrique, Gonzalez-Mejia, M Elba, Ruiz-Vivanco, Guadalupe, Pérez-Fuentes, Ricardo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: United States Pan American Health Organization (Organizacion Panamericana de la Salud) 01-01-2019; Organización Panamericana de la Salud; Pan American Health Organization
• Subjects: Accuracy; Biochemical markers; Cholesterol; Diabetes; Educational programs; Health Policy & Services; Metabolic syndrome; Metabolic syndrome, diagnosis; Mexico; noncommunicable diseases; Original Research; Questionnaires; Reliability; surveys and questionnaires; Validity; Mexico; Metabolic syndrome, diagnosis; Mexico; noncommunicable diseases; surveys and questionnaires; encuestas y cuestionarios; Síndrome metabólico, diagnóstico; inquéritos e questionários; doenças não transmissíveis; México; Síndrome metabólica, diagnóstico; enfermedades no transmisibles
• ISSN: 1020-4989; 1680-5348; 1680-5348
• DOI: 10.26633/RPSP.2019.9

To determine the reliability of a non-laboratorial questionnaire, the
(ESF-I) for identifying Metabolic Syndrome among a population in central Mexico.
Clinical and biochemical parameters were collected for 232 participants from 1 June 2012 - 31 August 2013. Three definitions of Metabolic Syndrome (Harmonizing, National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel and Adult Treatment Panel III [ATPIII], and International Diabetes Federation [IDF]) were used to allocate subjects to either the normal or Metabolic Syndrome positive (MetS+) group. The predictability of the questionnaire was determined by the Area-Under-the-Receiver-Operating Characteristic curve (AUC). Youden's index was calculated and the highest score was considered the optimal cutoff value. Cohen´s kappa (κ) was calculated to determine the level of agreement between the ESF-I questionnaire (max score: 15 based on 15 items) and Metabolic Syndrome.
From 53.8% - 60.7% of the participants were determined to be MetS+. The average questionnaire score was significantly higher in the MetS+ group for each definition (4.0 vs. 8.0, P < 0.05). The ESF-I questionnaire was predictive for the Harmonizing definition (AUC = 0.841, 95%CI: 0.790 - 0.892), the ATPIII definition (AUC = 0.827, 95%CI: 0.774 - 0.880), and the IDF definition (AUC = 0.836, 95%CI: 0.785 - 0.887). A cutoff value of 7 was determined for each definition; therefore, the cohort was re-categorized based on questionnaire results. There was a strong agreement between the ESF-I questionnaire and MetS (Harmonizing: accuracy = 77.6%, κ = 0.554; ATPIII: accuracy = 74.1%, κ = 0.489; IDF: accuracy = 74.6%, κ = 0.495,
< 0.001).
The ESF-I questionnaire can identify MetS+ patients, and therefore, lead to earlier diagnoses, reduced number of consultations, and lower costs with easier application.