title: Sex difference and the role of leptin in the association between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and adiposity in two different populations.
abstract: Elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) concentration is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease but this association seems to be largely mediated via conventional cardiovascular risk factors. In particular, the association between hs-CRP and obesity has been extensively demonstrated and correlations are stronger in women than men. We used fractional polynomials--a method that allows flexible modeling of non linear relations--to investigate the dose/response mathematical relationship between hs-CRP and several indicators of adiposity in Caucasians (Switzerland) and Africans (Seychelles) surveyed in two population-based studies. This relationship was non-linear exhibiting a steeper slope for low levels of hs-CRP and a higher level in women. The observed sex difference in the relationship between hs-CRP and adiposity almost disappeared upon adjustment for leptin, suggesting that these sex differences might be partially mediated, by leptin. All these relationship were similar in Caucasians and Africans. This is the first report on a non-linear relation, stratified by gender, between hs-CRP and adiposity.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (IUMSP), Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Route de la Corniche 2, 1066 Epalinges, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Isabelle Anne
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Murielle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bochud
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bovet
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Paccaud
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Waeber
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vollenweider
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Taffé
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D044383:Black People; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D012750:Seychelles; D013557:Switzerland; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D020738:Leptin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein