Contribution of High Sensible C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP) in the Assessment of the Risk of Onset of Type 2 Diabetes and Its Cardiovascular Complications

Background: Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disease characterized by chronic hyperglycemia. The latter plays an essential role in inflammation by stimulating the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines or by increasing their secretion by an oxidative mechanism. These cytokines control the hepatic synthesis of an inflammatory protein called C-Reactive Protein (CRP). High or average values of CRP would have a predictive value of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. The relationship between low CRP values and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and its cardiovascular complications is not sufficiently studied. The hsCRP could serve as a predictive biomarker of risk of onset, follow-up and prognosis for type 2 diabetes and its cardiovascular complications. To answer this problem, we conducted this study, the aim of which was to study the predictive role of hsCRP in the risk of occurrence of type 2 diabetes and its cardiovascular complications. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective and cross-sectional case-control study involving 200 participants including 100 control women and 100 women with type 2 diabetes (mean age was respectively 49.89 years ± 8.26 & 51.92 years ± 7.18; p = 0.066). The interviews were conducted on the basis of a questionnaire. Physical examination collected biometric data and cardiovascular constants. The biochemical parameters such as hsCRP were analyzed by an automated Abbott device. Results: We noted that hsCRP was significantly higher in type 2 diabetic subjects compared to control subjects (p < 0.0001). In control women, we found a positive correlation between hsCRP and body mass index (rho = 0.40, p < 0.0001), waist-hip ratio (rho = 0.24, p < 0.0001), systolic blood pressure (rho = 0.30, p = 0.003), diastolic blood pressure (rho = 0.28, p = 0.006), total body fat (rho = 0.48, p < 0.0001), visceral fat level (rho = 0.47, p < 0.0001). At the same time, it was positively correlated with glycated hemoglobin (rho = 0.29, p = 0.003), fasting insulin (rho = 0.22, p = 0.026), HOMA-IR (rho = 0.21, p = 0.034), C-peptide level (rho = 0.35, p = 0.0003), total cholesterol (rho = 0.24, p = 0.016), HDL cholesterol (rho = 0.24, p = 0.019), apolipoprotein B (rho = 0.25, p = 0.013). At the same time, hsCRP was negatively correlated with adiponectin level (rho = -0.21, p = 0.04) and the nitric oxide level (rho = −0.26, p = 0.01). In contrast, in women with type 2 diabetes, hsCRP was positively associated with body mass index (rho = 0.38, p = 0.007), waist-to-hip ratio (rho = 0.43, p = 0.002), total body fat (rho = 0.25, p = 0.014), cardiac frequency (rho = 0.34, p = 0.001) and glycated hemoglobin (rho = 0.21, p = 0.036). Conclusion: hsCRP has a prognostic value in the evaluation of cardiovascular risk. It seems to play an important role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its cardiovascular complications. It could thus be considered as a biomarker for the screening, monitoring and prognosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus.