C-reactive protein is not correlated with endothelial dysfunction in overweight and obese women

Obesity is a complex and multifactorial disease, has an inflammatory pattern and is associated with higher cardiometabolic risk. There are recent reports associating an elevated C-Reactive Protein (CRP) with a microscopic endothelial dysfunction. The objective is to evaluate if there is an association between serum levels of CRP and endothelial function in women with overweight/obesity, as well as the correlation between CRP and anthropometric variables.

This is a cross-sectional study that analyzed secondary data from patients treated in an institution of tertiary education, as part of the weight excess and cardiometabolic disease survey. The study included patients with overweight/obesity who had CRP and endothelial function tests already made and inserted into the survey database. The endothelial function was evaluated by: reactive hyperemia test (endothelium-dependent vasodilation). All tests were recorded and later analyzed by the same echocardiographer who performed the examination. Statistical analyses were realized in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 14. It was considered statistically significant a P value < 0.05.

This study included 47, nonsmoker women. with a BMI of 32.37 ± 5.06 kg/m(2), median of CRP of 2.59 mg/L and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of 8.75% ± 5.22%. There was no correlation between CRP and endothelial dysfunction in this population (rs = 0.08, P = 0.64). No correlation was observed between CRP and BMI. There were no differences of endothelial dysfunction variables and CRP in groups in use or not of medications (Hypolipidemic, antihypertensives and hypoglycemic agents).

There was no association between CRP and FMD and this can suggest that it is possible that the level of eNOS dysfunction associated with increased CRP is not enough to lead to macroscopic changes and harm vasodilation.