C-reactive protein in relation to the development of microalbuminuria in type 1 diabetes: the Oxford Regional Prospective Study.

OBJECTIVES: To perform a longitudinal evaluation of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in young people with type 1 diabetes in relation to the development of microalbuminuria (MA). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: hs-CRP was measured in 329 blood samples collected from 49 subjects with type 1 diabetes with MA and 49 normoalbuminuric subjects matched for age, sex, and duration of diabetes. RESULTS: In subjects developing MA, a progressive rise in hs-CRP was detected with levels significantly higher in the years after the onset of MA when compared with levels before MA onset (P = 0.003; age-adjusted P = 0.06). After the onset of MA, hs-CRP levels were significantly higher in subjects with MA when compared with normoalbuminuric subjects (median 1.9 mg/l [range 0.2-9.8] vs. 1.1 mg/l [0.2-6.4]; P = 0.02; adjusted P = 0.036). CONCLUSIONS: In this population of young subjects with type 1 diabetes, there was a significant increase in hs-CRP levels after the onset of MA, likely reflecting a general state of inflammation.