N. Pannacciulli et al., C-reactive protein is independently associated with total body fat, central fat, and insulin resistance in adult women, INT J OBES, 25(10), 2001, pp. 1416-1420
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations a
re influenced by body composition, insulin resistance, and body fat distrib
ution in healthy women.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of CRP plasma levels in adult women.
SUBJECTS: A total of 201 apparently healthy normal weight, overweight, and
obese women, aged 18-60y.
MEASUREMENTS: CRP plasma levels, several fatness and body fat distribution
parameters (by bioimpedance analysis and anthropometry), and insulin resist
ance (HOMA(IR)), as calculated by homeostatic model assessment.
RESULTS: CRP was positively correlated with age, body mass index (BMI), wai
st, fasting glucose and insulin, HOMA(IR), fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass
(FM). After multivariate analyses, age, HOMA(IR), waist and FM maintained
their independent association with CRP.
CONCLUSION: Our study has shown an independent relationship of central fat
accumulation and insulin resistance with CRP plasma levels, thus suggesting
that mild, chronic inflammation may be a further component of the metaboli
c syndrome and a mediator of the atherogenic profile of this syndrome.