Metabolic impairments in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 2.

Objectives: metabolic syndrome (MetS) increases risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus type 2. Aim of this study was to investigate frequency and features of MetS in a large cohort of patients with DM2.

Materials & methods: this cross-sectional study included 47 DM2 patients. Patients were matched with 94 healthy controls (HCs) for gender and age. MetS was diagnosed according to the new worldwide consensus criteria from 2009.

Results: mean age of DM2 patients was 52 ± 11 years, 15 (32%) were males, and mean disease duration was 15 ± 14 years. MetS was present in 53% of DM2 patients and 46% of HCs (p > 0.05). All components of the MetS appeared with the similar frequency in DM2 and HCs, respectively: hypertension 64 vs 52%, central obesity 62 vs 74%, hypertriglyceridemia 49 vs 39%, hyperglycemia 42 vs 33% and low HDL cholesterol 30 vs 42% (p > 0.05). DM2 patients were more commonly on lipid lowering therapy compared to HCs (12 vs 3%, p = 0.05). Fifteen (32%) patients with DM2 and only one (1%) subject from control group had diabetes mellitus (p < 0.01). Insulin resistance was found in thirty (65%) patients with DM2. Presence of MetS was not associated with patient's gender, age, severity nor duration of the disease (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: more than half of DM2 subjects met the criteria for the MetS. We suppose that treatment of metabolic disturbances may reduce cardiovascular complications and improve quality of life in patients with DM2, which is progressive and still incurable disorder.