Background: Serum amyloid A (SAA) and C-reactive protein (CRP) have been
suggested to be involved in the process of coronary heart disease (CHD) and to be
potential markers and/or predictors of CHD. Remnant-like lipoprotein particles
(RLPs), which are regarded as atherogenic remnant lipoprotein, are reported to be
increased in type 2 diabetic patients. We assessed the association of CHD with SAA,
CRP and RLP-cholesterol in type 2 diabetic patients.
Methods: One hundred and twenty-six diabetic patients without CHD and 41
patients with CHD were recruited from our hospital. Plasma SAA was measured by the
latex agglutination nephelometric immunoassay. Plasma high-sensitivity CRP was
measured by a latex immunoturbidity method. Plasma RLP-cholesterol was measured by an
immunoabsorption enzyme method.
Results: The mean standard deviation values of RLP-cholesterol in
patients with and without CHD were 0.22 (0.26) mmol/L and 0.15 (0.10) mmol/L,
respectively (P <0.05). Median (interquartile
ranges) for SAA in patients with and without CHD were 7.4 (4.2-11.2) mg/L and 3.9
(2.2-5.9) mg/L, respectively (P <0.001). Median
(interquartile ranges) for CRP in patients with and without CHD was 1.14 (0.45-2.08)
mg/L and 0.43 (0.19-1.25) mg/L, respectively (P
<0.001). For all patients, the Spearman rank correlation statistics for
RLP-cholesterol compared with SAA and with CRP were 0.213 (P <0.05) and 0.301 (P <0.01),
respectively.
Conclusion: These data suggest that SAA, CRP and RLP-cholesterol are
increased in type 2 diabetic patients with CHD, and that the inflammatory proteins
correlate with remnant lipoprotein.
