Prediabetes and prehypertension in disease free obese adults correlate with an exacerbated systemic proinflammatory milieu

Obesity is a pro-inflammatory state frequently associated with widespread metabolic alterations that include insulin resistance and deregulation of blood pressure (BP). This cascade of events in some measure explains the susceptibility of obese adults for co-morbid conditions like diabetes mellitus and hypertension.

We hypothesized that an elevated systemic proinflammatory burden correlates with dysglycemia and deregulated blood pressure.

We analyzed the screening anthropometric and laboratory measures from healthy disease free obese adults (n = 35; women (W) 27, men (M) 8) in a weight loss study.

Healthy obese normoglycemic (fasting serum glucose: FSG <100 mg/dL) women and men compared with healthy obese with prediabetes (FSG 100-125 mg/dL) had no significant differences for age (Mean ± SD: 52 ± 12 vs. 56 ± 9 y), weight (95 ± 11 vs. 99 ± 13 kg), or waist circumference (108 ± 10 vs. 108 ± 11 cm). Normoglycemic group (n = 24; W = 19, M = 5) had normal FSG 92 ± 4 mg/dL, HbA1c 5.4 ± 0.3%, BP 118/75 mm Hg, but had elevated high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs CRP) 3.7 ± 3 mg/L and fibrinogen 472 ± 76 mg/dL. The group with prediabetes (n = 11; W = 8, M = 3) with significantly higher FSG (106 ± 3 mg/dL; p < 0.0001), HbA1c (5.9 ± 0.5%; p < 0.002), had prehypertension (BP: 127/80 mm Hg) and significantly higher hs CRP (16.9 ± 9 mg/; p < 0.0001) and fibrinogen (599 ± 95 mg/dL; p < 0.0002).

In otherwise healthy disease free obese adults, a higher degree of systemic inflammation is associated with prediabetes and prehypertension.