Is glucose dysregulation an inflammatory process?

Aim: To determine the relationship between glucose dysregulation and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP). Settings and Design: Zaria is a major city located on the high plains of Northern Nigeria, 652.6 m above the sea level, some 950 km away from the coast. Its location is latitude 112°31” N and longitude 7°42” E. This was a cross-sectional observational study. Participants not previously known to have diabetes mellitus (DM) who satisfied the inclusion criteria were enrolled after cluster random sampling. The study was carried out over a period of 12 months. Materials and Methods: Four hundred apparently healthy participants were recruited through cluster sampling from their respective communities after due consent. Relevant biodata were documented, and appropriate examinations including anthropometric measurements were carried out. Plasma glucose and hsCRP levels were subsequently measured. Statistical Analysis Used: Microsoft excel was used for data entry while SPSS software version 19 was used for data analysis. Pearson's Correlation was used to test for association between plasma glucose levels and body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and hsCRP. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine whether BMI, WC, WHR, and hsCRP were significant determinants of glucose dysregulation. Significance level was considered P < 0.05. Results and Conclusions: BMI, WC, WHR, and hsCRP were shown to be significant determinants of glucose dysregulation. Therefore, a chronic low-grade inflammation may contribute to the etiopathogenesis of DM.