Research Article Diagnostic value of serum C-reactive protein as biomarker of cardiovascular risk in patients with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) continues to be the epidemic of the century and has a major impact on mortality from all causes and from cardiovascular disease (CVD). The systemic inflammatory pathway provides the common pathogenetic link in this comorbidity. We examined serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels, as a marker of systemic inflammation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and related them to CVD. The study consisted of 118 subjects with type 2 diabetes. Anthropometric characteristics were measured, and blood was collected for the evaluation of fasting blood sugar (FBS), HbAlc, and hs-CRP levels. Several clinical and biochemical characteristics were significantly different in the study group: triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), compared to control levels. Mean age, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference of subjects were 60.80 years, 35,2 kg/m 2 , and 109.8 cm, respectively. Increased Hs-CRP levels were positively correlated with increased BMI and HDL-C. No relationship was seen between Hs-CRP levels and systolic blood pressure, FBS level, HbAlc, Cholesterol, TG and LDL-C. Some cardiovascular risk factors (including gender, age, smoking, obesity, ©FUNPEC-RP www.funpecrp.com.br Genetics and Molecular Research 20 (1): gmr18730 T.D. Cam et al. 2dyslipidemia, and hypertension) did not show correlation with serum hs-CRP levels, while proteinuria did. Participants with cholesterol target levels had significantly lower hs-CRP. An association between hs-CRP and high cardiovascular risk is unlikely to be causal; however, hs-CRP could be a predictor for incidence of CVD in diabetic patients with comorbid obesity.