Predictors of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and the benefits of using the MetS diagnosis for people with serious and persistent mental illness

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of a formal metabolic syndrome (MetS) diagnosis on healthcare outcomes and utilization as well as the factors that contribute to the development of MetS among Medicaid members with a serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI). Two analyses were conducted: Analysis I compared medical testing and visit frequencies between individuals with a MetS diagnosis and those meeting three or more MetS criteria but no MetS diagnosis. Analysis II investigated predictors such as demographics, diagnoses, medications, medical interventions, and service use from 2017 for developing MetS in 2018 using decision tree and logistic regression models. Findings from Analysis I revealed that members with a MetS diagnosis experienced fewer outpatient and emergency visits and received more HDL and triglyceride tests compared with members meeting key criteria but lacking a formal diagnosis. Analysis II showed that factors such as age, specific psychotropic medications, and existing medical conditions were significant predictors for developing MetS the following year. These results underscore the importance of a formal MetS diagnosis for ensuring appropriate medical care and reducing future MetS risk as well as the factors that contribute to the development of MetS specifically among populations with SPMI.