Metabolic syndrome differential diagnosis


 * Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, M.B.B.S. [mailto:psingh@perfuse.org]

Overview
Metabolic syndrome occurs in the presence of insulin resistance and accompanying obesity. It increases the risk for coronary heart disease, diabetes, fatty liver, stroke and some cancers. It may manifests as hypertension, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The differential diagnosis includes chronic liver disease, cushing syndrome and congenital adrenal hyperplasia with overlapping presentations.

Differential diagnosis
1) Chronic liver disease - spider angioma, telangiectasia, jaundice, hepatosplenomegaly, and ascites.

2) Cushing syndrome - central obesity, plethoric, moon face, buffalo hump, acne, purple striae.

3) Congenital adrenal hyperplasia- Presentation - Obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, signs of hyperandrogenism (genital ambiguity in females, precocious puberty in males) and adrenal crisis (if went undiagnosed)