OBJECTIVES: The aim is to ascertain the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in patients from Hungary and Iraq, suffering from acut coronary syndrome (ACS) and investigate the effects of MetS on hospital outcomes, in particular mortality and differences in patients’ baseline characteristics.

METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted in two cardiac centers between 2018. 05-2019. 05. it included 164 consecutive ACS patients; 64 patients from the Heart Institute, Medical School, University of Pécs and 100 patients from Al Nassiryah Heart Center Iraq. Baseline characteristics, clinical management and in-hospital and 30 days post discharge outcomes were recorded.

RESULTS: Prevalence of metabolic syndrome among ACS patients was not significantly higher to Hungary (25.0 % vs 34.1 %; P=0.306). There were no significant differences in age between those with and without MetS (64.2 vs 63.3 years; P=0.394). MetS was associated with a higher median BMI (28.0 vs 23.7 kg/m²; P<0.001), hyperlipidemia (37.8% vs 12.8%; P<0.001), hypertension (48.8% vs 27.4%; P=0.024), high cholesterol (5.4 vs 4.1 mmol/L; P < 0.001), high LDL-C (3.5 vs 2.6 mmol/L; P<0.001), and high triglycerides (1.4 vs 1.1 mmol/L; P < 0.001). The MetS was associated with higher risk of out hospital re-infarction (12.8% vs 3.7%; P=0.031) and MACE (17.7% and 6.1%; P=0.027).

CONCLUSIONS: Current study did not show any significant difference in the incidence of MetS between ACS patients in the two countries. But patients with MetS were significantly more likely to be associated with MACE (P=0.027).