High-sensitivity C-reactive protein is independently associated with arterial stiffness in women with metabolic syndrome

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with higher incidences of cardiovascular events and with increased mortality from coronary heart disease. There is increasing evidence that MetS presents as a proinflammatory and prothrombotic state. Objectives: The purposes of this study were to investigate the relationships among adiponectin (a marker for adipocytokines), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP, a marker for inflammation), and brachial-ankle pulse-wave velocity (ba-PWV, a marker for arterial stiffness) in MetS and to identify predictors of ba-PWV, which indicates subclinical atherosclerosis. Methods: The present study is a cross-sectional, secondary analysis of data collected as part of a longitudinal, randomized controlled trial that tested the effectiveness of a therapeutic lifestyle modification for Korean women with MetS (N = 52). We used the definition for MetS suggested by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III. Results: Adiponectin was negatively correlated with hs-CRP (r = -0.316, P = .027) and ba-PWV (r = -0.284, P = .048), and hs-CRP was positively correlated with ba-PWV (r = 0.341, P = .016). Women with high hs-CRP and low adiponectin levels also had greater ba-PWV levels (P = .041). Levels of hs-CRP were independently associated with ba-PWV after adjusting for age, body mass index, and number of MetS components, whereas no independent association was identified for adiponectin. Conclusion: Levels of hs-CRP may provide important prognostic information in terms of future cardiovascular risk in women with MetS.