Abstract

Aim: Obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia are concurring risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The recent studies emhasize the role of C - reactive protein (CRP) as an inflammatory marker in the atherosclerotic process pathophysiology. In this study, effect of associated type-2 diabetes on CRP levels in abese hypertensive patients is investigated. Methods: 152 patients with hypertension and obesity (BMI > 30 kglm2) with a mean age of 51.3±10. 7 years were included in the study. Patients with local and systemic infection, chronic diseases were not included. Overall patients were evaluated in two groups; Type-2 Diabetic (n=57) and Non-Diabetic (n=95). Biochemical data were obtained with "Radox" kit of "Olympus AU 5200" autoanalyzer, CRP levels were studied with "Roche Diagnostics Tina - quant CRP" kit of MannHeim Boehringer KeySys autoarıalyzer and serum insulin leveis were studied with radioimmurıoassay method (Immunotech). Statistical arıalysis was performed with SPSS for Windows 11.0 by Student's t-test and Pearson's correlation analysis methods. Results: There were no statistically significant difference between the groups in age, gender, body mass index, waist and waist / hip ratio pa rameters (p > 0. 05). The mean serum levels of CRP and trigliserides were higher in the diabetic group (p < 0.01). Mean values of blood insulin, lipid profile parometers did not show statistical difference in the two groups (p> 0.05). In the overall study group no correlation between CRP and age, gender, body mass index, hip and hip / wrist ratio was found (p>0.05). While CRP levels were significantly correlated with fasting blood glucose (p<0.001) and insulin levels (p<0.01), there were no correlation found between CRP and lipid profile parometers (p<0.05). Conclusions: The coexistence of type 2 diabetes in the obese hypertensive patients causes an increase in CRP levels and should be looked for in such patients as an indicator for atherosclerotic cardiovascular events.