title: c-Reactive protein and the metabolic syndrome in older Chinese: Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the association between serum c-reactive protein (CRP) concentration and the metabolic syndrome (MS) using the International Diabetes Federation Metabolic Syndrome Guidelines (April, 2005) definition in an older Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three thousand and fourteen men and 7275 women aged 50-85 years were recruited and received a full medical check-up including measurement of blood pressure, obesity indices, fasting total, LDL-, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose and c-reactive protein. Data describing socioeconomic and lifestyle factors was also collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vascular risk factors including waist circumference, weight gain and waist gain since the age of 18, body mass index, waist-hip-ratio, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures were positively associated with CRP in both men and women (p from <0.001 to 0.016). Compared to those without MS components, adjusted odds ratios for having elevated CRP increased in those with the MS or its components compared those without MS or components (all p<0.001), except for the low HDL-cholesterol in both genders and raised fasting glucose in men. Similarly, the risk of elevated CRP increased with escalating MS components even after adjustment of a range of potential confounders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a strong relationship between CRP and the constellation of MS components and associated vascular risk in this older Chinese population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: X Q
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Lao
authors.forename: G Neil
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: C Q
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Peymane
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Adab
authors.forename: Tai Hing
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002681:China; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein