High-sensitivity C-reactive protein linked to diabetic nephropathy development

[DCUK NewsBot]

Japanese researchers find that serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), a non-specific marker of inflammation, is associated with the development of nephropathy in type 2 diabetes. However, Yasuaki Hayashino, MD, of Tenri Hospital in Nara, Japan, found that hs-CRP is not directly responsible for the progression of nephropathy, a kidney disease that affects type 2 diabetics. Studying hs-CRP Hayashino and colleagues analysed longitudinal data of 2,518 patients with type 2 diabetes obtained from a national diabetes registry. Their statistics showed a mean age of 66.1 years, body mass index (BMI) of 24.6 kg⁄m2 and HbA1c of 7.5 per cent (57.6 mmol/mol). Depending on their serum hs-CRP levels, patients were divided into four groups. The researchers used Cox proportional hazards, a model to investigate several variables at a time, to assess serum baseline hs-CRP and its correlations with diabetic nephropathy at one year. Findings The researchers found that baseline serum hs-CRP levels were significantly associated with the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio, a factor used to detect diabetic nephropathy. However, no significant associations were seen between hs-CRP levels and the risk of progression of nephropathy within type 2 diabetic patients. The researchers concluded that further investigation was required, but that hs-CRP levels could possibly be used in the future to predict developing risks of the kidney complication. The researchers wrote: "More research is needed to examine if there is an effective strategy to reduce the risk of diabetic nephropathy in a group of patients with diabetes and elevated levels of hs-CRP".

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