BACKGROUNDSerum high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), adiponectin levels and urine albumin excretion rate (UAER) are probably associated with inflammation and atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to determine the three markers in coronary artery disease (CAD) subjects with different glucose tolerance status in a Chinese population and further explore the levels of the three markers in these subjects and the possible association of these markers with CAD risk factors and the severity of CAD as well.

METHODSA total of 242 subjects with angiographically documented CAD were recruited, and then assigned to three groups: the normal glucose tolerance (NGT) + CAD group, including 100 CAD patients with NGT; the impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) + CAD group, 40 CAD patients with IGT; the type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) + CAD group, 102 CAD patients with T2DM. Serum hs-CRP, adiponectin levels as well as UAER were measured in all subjects.

RESULTSSerum hs-CRP levels were increased in the T2DM + CAD group compared with the NGT + CAD group (4.71 +/- 2.59) vs (3.60 +/- 2.46) mg/L, P = 0.037. Serum adiponectin levels were gradually decreased from the NGT + CAD to IGT + CAD to T2DM + CAD groups, (5.99 +/- 1.84), (5.82 +/- 1.72) and (4.65 +/- 1.71) mg/L, P = 0.002 and 0.040 for NGT + CAD and IGT + CAD groups vs T2DM + CAD group, respectively. While the UAER was gradually increased from the NGT + CAD to IGT + CAD to T2DM + CAD groups, (6.42 +/- 2.51), (6.89 +/- 2.94) and (15.03 +/- 4.22) microg/min (P < 0.001) for NGT + CAD and IGT + CAD groups vs T2DM + CAD group. Multiple linear stepwise regression analysis showed that waist-hip ratio (WHR) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were the significant determinants of serum hs-CRP levels; triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), age, WHR, T2DM, 2-hour serum insulin (2hINS), sex, and apolipoprotein B were the significant determinants of serum adiponectin levels; and systolic blood pressure (SBP), T2DM, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were the significant determinants of UAER in all subjects (R(2) = 0.070, 0.352, and 0.214, respectively). However, no significant correlation was seen for hs-CRP, adiponectin and UAER with the severity of CAD. Hs-CRP levels were significantly correlated with UAER.

CONCLUSIONSThere was a trend of increased serum hs-CRP levels from the NGT + CAD to IGT + CAD to T2DM + CAD groups, though it only showed significance in the T2DM + CAD group compared with the NGT + CAD group. Serum adiponectin levels were decreased and UAER was increased from the NGT + CAD to IGT + CAD to T2DM + CAD groups. Increased UAER and serum hs-CRP, and decreased adiponectin levels were associated with traditional CAD risk factors but failed to be correlated with the severity of CAD. Hs-CRP levels were significantly correlated with UAER.