Low grade chronic inflammation in the RISC population: associations with insulin resistance and cardiometabolic risk profile

Abstract

Objective: Low grade chronic inflammation has been hypothesized to underlie the constellation of cardiometabolic risk factors, possibly by inducing insulin resistance. In the present study we investigated associations between inflammation markers, insulin sensitivity (M/I) and a range of cardiometabolic risk factors in a large, healthy population.

Research Design and Methods: The RISC cohort includes 1326 non-diabetic, European men and women, aged between 30-60 years. We measured cardiometabolic risk factors and performed a hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamp. We determined total white blood cell count (WBC) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) as markers of chronic inflammation.

Results: WBC and ESR were both strongly associated with M/I. WBC and ESR were further associated with a range of cardiometabolic risk factors. Associations between WBC and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, heart rate, fasting C-peptide and insulin and 2h insulin in men and women and between WBC and 2h glucose in women remained significant after adjusting for both M/I and waist circumference. Associations between ESR and HDL cholesterol, heart rate, fasting and 2h insulin in men and women and between ESR and fat mass in women remained significant after adjusting for M/I and waist.

Conclusions: This study showed that low grade chronic inflammation is associated with the cardiometabolic risk profile of a healthy population. Insulin resistance, although strongly associated with inflammation, does not seem to play a large intermediary role in this.