Association of hs-crp levels with obesity & metabolic syndrome in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus: a link between inflammation, adiposity & insulin resistance

Abstract

Background : High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP),is considered a sensitive marker of systemic inflammation and highly predictive of subsequent cardiovascular events and Diabetes mellitus. Moreover hs-CRP is also associated with Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and its separate components. Objective: To evaluate hs-CRP levels in normoglycemic healthy subjects, obese non-diabetic & Obese Type-2 diabetic subjects and in diabetic subjects with and without MetS & its association with individual components of MetS. Material & Methods: Hundred obese non diabetic subjects, Non-obese Type-2 diabetic individuals and 100 healthy controls and were enrolled into this study. Diabetic subjects were further subdivided into Diabetic subjects with and without metabolic syndrome. Various anthropometric and biochemical parameters like hs-CRP, FBS, lipid profile, fasting insulin levels & HOMA-IR were measured. Statistical analysis was done by Medcalc.v11.5.0.0. software. Results : Serum hs-CRP levels were significantly higher in obese non-diabetic subjects and non-obese Type 2 DM patients as compared to control subjects (p = 4.1 × 10−6, 7.5 × 10−10, respectively). Also There was significant difference in serum hs-CRP levels between Obese Non-diabetic subjects and non-obese Diabetic subjects (p = 0.010). hs-CRP levels correlated positively with BMI (r= 0.26, p < 0.001) & Waist circumference (r = 0.45, p < 0.001) in Obese Non-diabetic subjects. As the number of components of MetS increased, mean hs-CRP levels also increased. Conclusion: Plasma hs-CRP levels is not significantly affected by diabetes per se, and this suggest that alterations in Type 2 DM & MetS may be due to obesity and may be an important link between obesity , Insulin resistance and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.