The association of serum C-reactive protein, uric acid and magnesium with insulin resistance in Chinese postmenopausal women with prediabetes or early untreated diabetes

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the association of serum inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein (CRP) and uric acid (UA)), magnesium and other CVD risk factors with insulin resistance (IR) among Chinese postmenopausal women with prediabetes. Study design and main outcomes measures: This is a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data among 180 postmenopausal women with prediabetes or early untreated diabetes. Major anthropometric and biochemical measures included body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR), fasting and postload glucose and insulin, serum CRP, UA, lipids profile, and magnesium. IR was estimated using fasting glucose and insulin by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA). Results: Multivariate linear regression analyses indicated that Lg CRP, WHR, serum triglycerides (TGs) and magnesium were the major predictors of HOMA-IR. A multivariate logistic analyses showed that a CRP level above 3.0 mg/l was significantly associated with a 2.8-fold risk of having higher HOMA-IR (>2.52). BMI plays a key role in mediating the relationship of CRP and IR. Elevated serum TG (>1.71 mmol/l), WHR (>0.88), UA (>357 mmol/l) and lower serum magnesium (<0.78 mg/l) were associated with 5.26 (95%CI: 2.52-10.98, P<0.05), 3.02 (95%CI: 1.64-5.55, P<0.05), 1.97 (95%CI: 1.02-3.83, P=0.05) and 0.51 (95%CI: 0.28-0.81) folds risk of higher HOMA-IR, respectively in the unadjusted model. Serum magnesium, but not UA was an independent risk factor of HOMA-IR. Conclusion: The present study in prediabetic or early untreated diabetic Chinese postmenopausal women indicated that IR is significantly associated with increased inflammation (CRP and UA), serum TG, WHR and lower serum magnesium. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.