Obesity, the insulin resistance syndrome, and atherosclerosis are closely
linked and may all be determinants of an increased acute-phase response.
In this study, we examined the relationship of C-reactive protein (CRP)
with measures of obesity, variables of the insulin resistance syndrome,
and intima-media thickness of the common carotid arteries in 186 healthy,
middle-aged women selected from the general population. Associations were
assessed by regression analysis. CRP was strongly associated with body
mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. CRP was also associated with
other variables of the insulin resistance syndrome, including blood
pressure, insulin, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides,
apolipoprotein A1 (inversely), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 antigen,
and tissue-type plasminogen activator antigen. Associations between CRP
and the variables of the insulin resistance syndrome disappeared after
controlling for BMI but remained significant for plasminogen activator
inhibitor-1 antigen only. The association of CRP with common carotid
artery intima-media thickness was weak and limited to ever-smokers. BMI
explained 29.7% of the variance of CRP, whereas common carotid artery
intima-media thickness explained only 3.7%. The results of this
population-based study indicate that adiposity is strongly associated with
CRP in healthy, middle-aged women. In this population, BMI accounted for
the relationship between CRP and other variables of the insulin resistance
syndrome. Further studies should determine whether losing weight
ameliorates the inflammatory state
