Relationship between the serum c-reactive protein concentration and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetic patients

Kim, So Young; Jeong, Su Jin; Jin, Heung Yong; Kim, Chong Hwa; Baek, Hong Sun; Park, Tae Sun; Park, Ji Hyun

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Low grade inflammation has been suggested to be a risk factor for development of atherosclerosis. C-reactive protein (CRP) is very sensitive acute phase reactant, and it is considered as an important marker of atherosclerosis and related disorder. Insulin resistance is also known to be associated with atherosclerosis. However, the relationship between insulin resistance and CRP has not been thoroughly studied in patients with type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to determine whether insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes is related with CRP.
METHODS
102 subjects with type 2 diabetes were included in the study. Fasting blood samples were taken for measurement for CRP, insulin and glucose. To estimate insulin resistance, the HOMA (homeostasis model assessment)-IR (insulin resistance) was calculated by the standard formula. We divided the subjects into two groups depending on their CRP levels (Group A: <1 mg/L, Group B: > or =1 mg/L), and analyzed HOMA-IR indexes in each group.
RESULTS
There was significant correlation between CRP and HOMA-IR (r=0.4, p<0.01). HOMA-IR and fasting insulin levels in group B were higher than that of group A on the univariate analysis. On the multivariate analysis, among several variables such as fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, total cholesterol, and triglyceride, HOMA-IR were significantly related with CRP level independently.
CONCLUSIONS
The serum CRP level, even if existed in normal range, was positively correlated with HOMA-IR in type 2 diabetes. Further studies are needed to determine the CRP level considered as clinically significant, and relating HOMA -IR.