Higher plasma C-reactive protein and lower plasma adiponectin are associated with increased carotid artery intima-media thickness in patients with impaired glucose regulation

Background: Impaired Glucose Regulation (IGR) is a term that refers to blood glucose levels that are higher than the normal range, but lower than Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Objective:We aimed to test the role of plasma adiponectin (APN) and plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) in predicting the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with different degrees of impaired glucose regulation (IGR).

Methods: A total of 210 outpatients for physical examination were divided into 4 groups: 42 cases of normal glucose tolerance (NGT), 36 cases of impaired fasting glucose (IFG), 92 cases of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and 40 cases of IFG+IGT. Body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, lipids, insulin resistance (homeostasis model assessment, HOMA-IR), APN, CRP and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) were measured.

Results: In IGT and IFG+ IGT groups, CIMT and CRP were significantly higher, whereas APN was significantly lower compared with IFG and NGT groups (p < 0.05). BMI and HOMA-IR were significantly higher in IGR patients compared with control subjects (p < 0.05). CIMT was positively related to CRP and HOMA-IR and negatively to APN (p < 0.05). Multiple stepwise regression analysis using CIMT as a dependent variable showed that APN and 2hPG were independently risk factors associated with CIMT.

Conclusion: Increased CIMT in prediabetes state may in part be explained by lower plasma adiponectin and higher C-reactive protein levels.