High C-reactive protein levels associated with higher death rates in type II diabetics

This study was published in Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology and Diabetes 2006 Mar;114(3):127-34

Study title and authors:

C-reactive protein is a strong independent predictor of death in type 2 diabetes: association with multiple facets of the metabolic syndrome.

Linnemann B, Voigt W, Nobel W, Janka HU.

Central Hospital of Bremen-Nord, Department of Internal Medicine, 2nd Medical Clinic, Bremen, Germany.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16636979

The aim of this study was to investigate the importance of C-reactive protein as a cardiovascular risk marker and predictor of death, as well as its relationship to other factors of the metabolic syndrome in type II diabetic patients at high risk of severe cardiovascular complications.

This five year study included 592 patients, aged 55 to 74 years (311 men, 281 women), with signs and symptoms of circulation problems.  At the start of the study 292 patients of the total group had type II diabetes (49.3%). Ischemic heart disease was present in 40.2%, internal carotid stenosis in 21.9% and peripheral arterial disease in 39.7% of the subjects.

The study found:
(a) The type II diabetics with the highest C-reactive protein levels had a 230% increased death rate compared to those with the lowest C-reactive protein levels.
(b) The type II diabetics with the highest C-reactive protein levels had a 440% increased death rate from cardiovascular causes compared to those with the lowest C-reactive protein levels.
(c) Those with higher levels of C-reactive protein had unhealthy higher triglyceride levels compared to those with lower levels of C-reactive protein.
(d) Those with higher levels of C-reactive protein had unhealthy higher post meal glucose levels compared to those with lower levels of C-reactive protein.
(e) Those with higher levels of C-reactive protein had lower levels of the healthy high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol compared to those with lower levels of C-reactive protein.

This study shows that high levels of C-reactive protein are associated with higher death rates from cardiovascular disease and higher total death rates in type II diabetics. Additionally, high levels of C-reactive protein are associated with increasing the risk factors for the metabolic syndrome, which is often the precursor to type II diabetes.

A high fat dietary regime is the most effective way to reduce dangerous levels of C-reactive protein see here.