UC Davis

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) confers an increased risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Although high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) concentrations are higher and adiponectin concentrations lower in MetS, there is no reliable biochemical measure that can capture its various features. We evaluated whether hsCRP, adiponectin, or the ratio of adiponectin or its oligomers, especially the high-molecular-weight (HMW) oligomer, to hsCRP predict MetS in 123 subjects with MetS compared with that in 91 healthy control subjects. MetS subjects had significantly higher hsCRP levels and lower total adiponectin and oligomer levels relative to control subjects (P < .0001). The HMW/total adiponectin and adiponectin/CRP ratios were significantly lower in MetS subjects than control subjects (P < .005). The odds ratio (OR) of MetS using the 75th percentile cutoff for CRP was 3.8 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1-6.8) and equivalent to low total adiponectin (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.3-4.5), its oligomers, or the adiponectin/ hsCRP ratio (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.5, 4.8). Thus, measurements of CRP, adiponectin, or its oligomers provide robust biomarkers for predicting MetS.