Prevalence of residual inflammatory risk and associated clinical variables in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

: Residual inflammatory risk (RIR) is defined as persistent circulating levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) > 2 mg/L despite an optimal (<70 mg/dL) control of LDL cholesterol (C) and represents an emerging risk factor for the development of cardiovascular events in patients at high-risk for atherosclerosis. Few data are available regarding the prevalence of RIR in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the clinical variables associated with hs-CRP elevation. Here, we report data from a well characterized cohort of patients with T2DM (n = 511) stratified for statin use, LDL-C goal attainment, and prevalent T2DM complications. Statin use and having at-target LDL-C partially affect the number of patients with inflammatory risk when compared to the whole T2DM population, with a RIR prevalence of 39,2%. Among the spectra of complications, only patients with nephropathy had a higher prevalence of inflammatory risk. Total-C, non-HDL-C, triglycerides, BMI, and waist-hip ratio were associated with hs-CRP, with an increased magnitude in at-target patients. Conversely, glucose-related parameters were strongly associated with hs-CRP only in at-target patients, overall suggesting glycaemic control, insulin resistance, non-LDL-C lipid parameters, and especially central obesity as possible contributors to RIR in patients with T2DM and LDL-C < 70 mg/dL. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.