Original investigation
Association between fasting plasma glucose and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein: gender differences in a Japanese community-dwelling population
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* Corresponding author: Ryuichi Kawamoto rykawamo@yahoo.co.jp
1 Department of Community Medicine, Ehime University, Graduate School of Medicine; Ehime 791-0295, Japan
2 Geriatric Medicine, Ehime University, Graduate School of Medicine; Ehime 791-0295, Japan
3 Department of Internal Medicine, Seiyo Municipal Nomura Hospital, Ehime 797-1212, Japan
Cardiovascular Diabetology 2011, 10:51 doi:10.1186/1475-2840-10-51
Published: 10 June 2011Abstract
Background
High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is an acute phase reactant and a sensitive marker of inflammation. Hyperglycemia can potentially promote the production of CRP. The aim of this study was to determine whether increased fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels are associated with elevated hsCRP concentrations by gender.
Methods
We recruited 822 men (mean age, 61 ± 14 years) and 1,097 women (63 ± 12 years) during their annual health examination from a single community. We cross-sectionally examined whether FPG levels are associated with hsCRP concentrations, and whether this association is independent of gender, body mass index (BMI) and other components of the metabolic syndrome.
Results
In women only, hsCRP increased significantly and progressively with increasing FPG (r = 0.169, P < 0.001). The stepwise multiple linear regression analysis using hsCRP as an objective variable, adjusted for confounding factors as explanatory variables, showed that FPG as well as age, BMI, systolic blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), uric acid, and high molecular weight adiponectin were significantly associated with hsCRP in women, but not in men. There was significant gender interaction, and an increase in hsCRP levels that was greater in women with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 and higher FPG than in men.
Conclusions
These results suggested that hsCRP levels increase continuously across the FPG spectrum starting from the lowest FPG in both men and women. However, increase in hsCRP levels was greater in women than men.