Clinical significance of plasma C-reactive protein levels in patients with diabetes mellitus complicated with coronary heart disease

AIM: To investigate the relationship between elevated plasma C-reactive protein(CRP) levels and coronary heart disease(CHD) in patients with type II diabetes mellitus(T2DM).METHODS: Sixty-one patients with CHD diagnosed by coronary angiography were divided into two groups: 30 cases with T2DM in group A and 31 cases without T2DM in group B,and 30 healthy subjects were assigned to group C as control.The levels of plasma CRP,fasting blood glucose(FBG),blood lipids and BMI were detected and compared between groups.RESULTS: Significant differences were found in the levels of CRP,FBG and HbA1c among the three groups.Gensini score and percentage of three-branch lesions in patients with T2DM were higher than those in patients without T2DM(P0.01).Simple correlation analysis indicated that severity of coronary artery disease(CAD) was significantly correlated with CRP,TG,TC,HDL-C,LDL-C and body mass index(P0.01).CONCLUSION: The coronary lesions of CHD patients with T2DM tend to be more widespread and more severe.Increased serum CRP level is an important risk factor for T2DM complicated with CAD and a vital parameter for diffuse CAD in patients with T2DM.