Relation of C-reactive protein to obesity, adipose tissue hormones and cardiovascular risk factors in men treated with early percutaneous intervention in course of acute myocardial infarction.

UNLABELLED: Adipose tissue appears to be a key regulator of CRP levels. C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of systemic inflammation, predicts the occurrence of diabetes, the metabolic syndrome and atherosclerotic diseases. Adipokines, the proteins produced by adipocytes are additional factors thought to be involved in the chronic, subclinical inflammatory state of adiposity.

AIM: The aim of the study was to assess the impact of obesity on the blood CRP levels and the relation of CRP to coronary risk factors and adipokines in men with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

METHODS: The study was performed in 37 obese (BMI> or =30) and 33 lean patients (BMI<25) with first AMI treated with percutaneous coronary intervention within the initial 6 hours of AMI. Clinical data, anthropometric measurements, biochemical parameters and blood adipokines concentration were analyzed.

RESULTS: Values of the following parameters were significantly higher in obese than in lean patients: CRP, fasting glucose, glucose at admission, leptin and resistin, whereas HDL-cholesterol and adiponectin levels were lower. In univariate regression analysis CRP was related to obesity, HDL-cholesterol, fasting glucose, glucose at admission and adipokines but only glucose at admission and resistin were the independent positive factors and adiponectin an independent negative factor associated with CRP levels (R2= 51.1%).

CONCLUSIONS: In the early stage of AMI inflammation is more pronounced in obese than in lean patients. The pleiotropic association between CRP and obesity, adipokines and cardiovascular risk factors might prove it to be an important link between inflammatory reaction and atherogenesis in which adipose tissue hormones are involved.