Background: Inflammation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus and cancer. Serum concentration of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein is a good biomarker of chronic low-grade inflammation. Few studies have evaluated relative importance of behavioral and clinical covariates of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in Japanese population.
Methods: The study subjects were men and women aged 49-76 years from the cohort study of lifestyle-related diseases between February 2004 and July 2006. Analysis of covariance and multiple linear regression analysis were used to estimate geometric means of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and trends of association.
Results: Smoking, body mass index, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, elevated non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol, prudent dietary pattern were independently associated with serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in both men and women. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentrations were lowest in men with a moderate intake of alcohol (<30 mL/day). In men, smoking and body mass index accounted for 28% and 26% of the variation in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, respectively, while body mass index accounted for 60% of the variation of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in women.
Conclusions: Smoking and body mass index in men, and body mass index in women, were major correlates of serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in Japanese people.