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Title: Insulin Resistance Correlates With Rises in C-Reactive Protein: Presented at AACE

"Insulin Resistance Correlates With Rises in C-Reactive Protein: Presented at AACE"

By Maggie Schwarz WASHINGTON, DC -- May 23, 2005 -- Rises in C-reactive protein correlate with increases in measures of insulin resistance in healthy adults, researchers say. Ritesh Panwar, MD, presented the findings here May 19[^th at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists 14^th Annual Meeting and Clinical Congress (AACE).

"As C-reactive protein rises, so does insulin resistance," said Dr. Panwar, a fellow in clinical endocrinology at Lady Hardinge Medical College and Associated Hospitals in New Delhi, India.

Dr. Panwar and colleague Sachin Kumar Jain, MD, wished to extend the growing pool of data on C-reactive protein in cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In their study, 100 healthy adult participants (50 men and 50 women, aged 20 to 55 years) underwent measurement of C-reactive protein levels by quantitative immunoturbidimetric method. Blood glucose and serum insulin levels were measured in the fasting state and at 2 hours after a 75 g oral glucose load. Insulin resistance was estimated by homeostatis model assessment.

Subjects were stratified by C-reactive protein into four levels ranging from 0.8 to 3.5 up to 6.4 to 15.4 mg/L. With each rise in C-reactive protein level, an increase in fasting blood glucose (P < .05), post-prandial blood glucose (P < .05), fasting serum insulin (P < .0001), post-prandial serum insulin (P < .0001), and homeostasis model assessment of insulin (P < .0001) was seen.

Dr. Panwar reiterated that with this study, he and Dr. Jain have shown that even in healthy individuals, C-reactive protein is strongly correlated with insulin resistance. Increased C-reactive protein levels may also predispose to accelerated or premature atherosclerotic disease. Increased insulin resistance has been associated with increased levels of various cytokines in normal healthy populations.

"Framingham results have shown us that we need markers of cardiovascular risk. C-reactive protein is both a marker and mediator of inflammation," said Dr. Panwar. "In fact, high C-reactive protein constitutes a higher risk than high lipid levels."

He would like to see more frequent C-reactive protein testing, adding, "Maybe someday we'll have therapy to lower C-reactive protein levels."

[Presentation title: Correlation of C-Reactive Protein Levels With Insulin Resistance in a Healthy North Indian Population.]

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