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Inflammation Linked to Type 2 Diabetes

Markers of inflammation—known to be linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and obesity—also appear to be related to diabetes, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, held September 18–21 in Amsterdam.

A group of investigators from the Center for Health Research of Kaiser Permanente Northwest, in Portland, Ore., reviewed routine outpatient lab results for 17,036 patients. Included in the analyses were a complete blood count, with white blood cell (WBC) count and platelet (PLT) count examined as markers of inflammation.

A diagnosis of diabetes and the presence of comorbidities were established through a review of patient records.

People with diabetes had significantly higher systolic blood pressure and levels of triglycerides than people who didn't have diabetes, and they also were more likely to be taking cardiovascular medications or to have some other comorbidity, such as dyslipidemia or CVD, according to researchers.

Those with diabetes tended to have higher WBC counts, irrespective of body mass index (BMI). Average PLT counts were slightly higher among people with diabetes who also had BMIs <25; above this BMI level, differences between those with and those without diabetes were not observed.

WBC levels were higher in people taking insulin. Although inflammatory markers tend to be higher in people who are obese, the study demonstrates that inflammation can occur in people with diabetes independent of obesity.

"Inflammatory markers were significantly higher in persons with type 2 diabetes," notes Kathryn L. Podula, an associate at Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research.

More research is needed to determine the relative contribution of hyper-glycemia and other characteristics of diabetes to the inflammatory process, the researchers say.

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