Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2008; 116(8): 455-460
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1004563
Article

© J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Positive Association Between High-Sensitivity C-reactive Protein Level and Diabetes Mellitus Among US Non-Hispanic Black Adults

A. Shankar 1 , J. Li 2
  • 1Division of Epidemiology, Department of Community, Occupational, and Family Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
  • 2Department of Statistics and Applied Probability, National University of Singapore, Singapore
Further Information

Publication History

received 25.06.2007 first decision 04.09.2007

accepted 12.12.2007

Publication Date:
17 March 2008 (online)

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Abstract

Background: Previous epidemiologic studies have demonstrated a positive association between serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level and diabetes mellitus. However among US race-ethnicities, the putative association between CRP and diabetes mellitus in non-Hispanic Blacks is not clear. We specifically examined the association between high-sensitivity CRP level and diabetes mellitus in a representative sample of US non-Hispanic blacks.

Methods: Cross-sectional study among 1,479 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2002 non-Hispanic black participants aged ≥20 years. Main outcome-of-interest was the presence of diabetes mellitus (fasting plasma glucose ≥126 mg/dL, non-fasting plasma glucose ≥200 mg/dL, or self-reported current use of oral hypoglycemic medication or insulin) (n=204).

Results: Higher CRP levels were positively associated with diabetes mellitus, independent of smoking, waist circumference, hypertension, and other confounders. Multivariable odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence intervals (CI)] comparing elevated CRP level (>3 mg/L) to low CRP level (<1 mg/L) was 3.12 (1.77–5.48), p-trend<0.0001. This association persisted in separate analysis among men and women. The results were consistent in subgroup analyses by categories of age, smoking, body mass index, and hypertension status. In nonparametric models, the positive association between serum CRP and diabetes mellitus appeared to be present across the full range of CRP, without any threshold effect.

Conclusions: Higher serum high-sensitivity CRP levels are positively associated with diabetes mellitus in a sample of US non-Hispanic blacks. Inflammatory processes previously shown to be related to diabetes mellitus in other race-ethnicities may be involved in non-Hispanic blacks also.

References

Correspondence

Dr. A. Shankar

Department of Community

Occupational, and Family Medicine

Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine

National University of Singapore

Block MD3

16 Medical Drive

117597 Singapore

Phone: +65/6516 49 68

Fax: +65/6779 14 89

Email: ashankar@nus.edu.sg