Cardiovascular risk evaluated by C-reactive protein levels in diabetic and obese Mexican subjects.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies have reported elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in obese and diabetic subjects, but it is unclear whether both these conditions have an additive effect on the variability of serum CRP levels.


RESULTS
The study enrolled 385 men and women who were classified into 4 groups: (1) diabetes (n=97), (2) obesity (n=108), (3) diabetes/obesity (n=78), and (4) healthy (n=102). All were Mexican subjects from Guerrero State. Serum high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) levels were higher in both type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)/obesity and obesity (5.1 mg/L) groups than in the diabetics (1.8 mg/L) without obesity. Only the measurements of obesity were strongly related to hs-CRP (body mass index, r=0.46 and waist circumference, r=0.41). The presence of T2DM and obesity explain 20% of the circulating hs-CRP level, following waist circumference (16%), leukocyte count (10%), diastolic blood pressure (6%), and female gender (4%). Obese subjects (odds ratio (OR)=6.3) and T2DM/obesity patients (OR=6.9) showed high risk for coronary disease and this effect was increased in T2DM/obesity women (OR=9.9). Also, abdominal obesity was associated with high coronary disease risk (OR=5.4), showing an increase in women (OR=7.3).


CONCLUSIONS
High hs-CRP levels are related to obesity and central distribution of body fat, leading to a higher cardiovascular risk among Mexican subjects.
Flores-Alfaro
Eugenia
E
Autonomous University of Guerrero, Laboratory of Chronic Diseases, Chilpancingo, Guerrero, Mexico.
Parra-Rojas
Isela
I
Salgado-Bernabé
Aralia B
AB
Chávez-Maldonado
Juan P
JP
Salazar-Martinez
Eduardo
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000208:ethnology / Q000276:immunology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000276:immunology; D010976:Platelet Count; D012307:Risk Factors; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein