A Cross-sectional Study of Metabolic Syndrome and Chronic Kidney Disease in Korean Adults from 1998 to 2005 The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) Study (I, II and III)

Background: Previous studies have shown association between metabolic syndrome (MS) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study is to show the association between MS and CKD after adjustment for socioeconomic position and health behavior factors of the general population in Korea in 1998, 2001, and 2005.

Methods: The sample included 16,504 Korean men and women aged 20 years or older. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a measure of kidney function. Normal renal function as defined as a GFR ≥ 90 mL/min/1.73m², a GFR 60 to 89 mL/min/1.73m², was considered mild renal dysfunction, a GFR of 30 to 59 mL/min/1.73m² was considered moderate, a GFR of 15 to 29 mL/min/1.73 m² was considered severe, and a GFR < 15 mL/min/1.73 m² was considered renal failure. Subjects were classified into two groups based on their baseline GFR: greater than or equal to 60 mL/min/1.73m² (no CKD group), and less than 60 mL/min/1.73m² (CKD group).

Results: The distribution of mild renal dysfunction was 57.2%, 74.3%, and 76.2% in 1998, 2001 and 2005, respectively (p<0.001). And the distribution of CKD was 2.2%, 7.7%, and 6.6%, respectively (p<0.001). The adjusted odds ratio for MS was 1.82 (95% Confidence Interval 1.53-2.16, p<0.001) after adjustment for age, gender, anemia, socioeconomic position, and health behavior factors. Conclusion: The study shows that distribution of mild renal dysfunction is slightly increased in each year. Also, the community-based study for Korean adults showed that metabolic syndrome was associated with chronic kidney disease.