Association Between High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein and Metabolic Syndrome Among Hispanic/Latino Participants of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

Purpose: To determine whether high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is associated with incident Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) among U.S. Hispanic/Latino adults. Patients and Methods: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos is a longitudinal observational cohort assessing cardiovascular health among diverse U.S. Hispanic/Latino adults. hsCRP was measured at visit 1 (2008-2011) and classified as low, moderate, or high, based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American Heart Association (CDC/AHA) guidelines. All MetS components [abdominal obesity, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, blood pressure, and fasting glucose] were measured at visit 1 and visit 2 (2014-2017). MetS was defined as the presence of three or more components based on the 2005 definition from the modified Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel (modified NCEP ATP III). Participants free of MetS at visit 1 and with complete data on hsCRP and all MetS components were included ( n  = 6121 participants). We used Poisson regression analysis to determine whether hsCRP was associated with incident MetS after adjusting for demographic, behavioral, and clinical factors. All analyses accounted for the complex survey design of the study. Results: In fully adjusted models, moderate versus low hsCRP was associated with a 33% increased risk of MetS [incidence rate ratio (IRR): 1.33, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10-1.61], while high versus low hsCRP was associated with a 89% increased risk of MetS (IRR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.58-2.25). Conclusions: Greater levels of hsCRP were associated with new onset of MetS in a diverse sample of U.S. Hispanic/Latino adults. Results suggest that hsCRP may be an independent risk factor for MetS.