C-reactive protein, gamma-glutamyltransferase and type 2 diabetes in a Chinese population

BackgroundWe studied the association of C-reactive protein (CRP), gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and type 2 diabetes in Chinese.MethodA population-based cross-sectional study.ResultsCRP and GGT levels were significantly higher in participants with diabetes than in those without (P < 0.001). Higher CRP levels were positively associated with prevalent type 2 diabetes after adjustment for age, sex, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, family history of diabetes, body mass index, waist circumference, waist/hip ratio, education, systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, use of antihypertensive drugs, aspirin and lipid-lowering agents, with multivariable odds ratios (OR) of 1.55 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.05–2.27, P trend = 0.005, comparing quartile 4 to quartile 1). However, after further adjustment for GGT, the association was completely attenuated (fourth quartile OR 1.23, 95% CI, 0.83–1.82, P trend = 0.127). Moreover, the association of CRP and prevalent type 2 diabetes was stronger in subjects with GGT values above the median than in those with GGT values below the median. Increasing serum GGT quartiles were positively associated with prevalent type 2 diabetes after adjustment for potential confounding variables (P for trend < 0.001).ConclusionCRP may not be an independent risk factor for type 2 diabetes, at least in Chinese people.