[High-sensitive C-reactive protein and Type 2 diabetic nephropathy].

OBJECTIVE

To prospectively investigate the relationship between high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and Type 2 diabetic nephropathy.

METHODS

We assayed serum hs-CRP concentration in 55 normal controls, 66 Type 2 diabetic patients without diabetic nephropathy (DN) and 68 Type 2 diabetic patients with DN by ELISA. A 5-year prospective study was designed to investigate the changes of urinary albumin excretion (UAE), serum hs-CRP concentration, and kidney funciton in targeted intervention including blood glucose and blood pressure in 58 diabetic patients without DN at the baseline.

RESULTS

Baseline hs-CRP concentration was the highest in Type 2 diabetic patients with DN, followed by Type 2 diabetic patients without DN, and the lowest in normal controls. After 5-year intervention, hs-CRP concentration at the endline was significantly lower than that at the baseline in the patients in whom DN didn't occur at the endline (P < 0.05). But in the patients in whom DN occured at the endline, hs-CRP concentration was slightly lower than that at the baseline (P > 0.05). Both baseline and endline, the hs-CRP concentrations in the patients in whom DN occured at the endline were significantly higher than those without DN at the endline.

CONCLUSION

Higher serum hs-CRP concentration in patients with Type 2 diabetes may be a risk factor that gives rise to DN. To some extent hs-CRP can predict the occurrence of DN in Type 2 diabetic patients.