Sex-dependent relationship of C-reactive protein levels with HDL-cholesterol and HDL-phospholipid concentrations in children

Abstract

Abstract Obesity has been consistently associated with inflammation but the influence of HDL on this association remains under study. Our study analyzes the influence of obesity-related parameters in the relationship of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) with HDL-cholesterol and HDL-phospholipid in male and female adolescents. The study sample population comprised 350 males and 401 females aged 12 to 16 years. Information regarding anthropometric parameters, HDL-cholesterol, HDL-phospholipid, adiponectin, leptin, insulin, and hs-CRP concentrations was available. hs-CRP levels were inversely related to HDL-cholesterol and HDL-phospholipid in males but not in females, and were positively related to leptin concentrations in both sexes but were not related to adiponectin levels. In regression analyses, HDL-phospholipid and leptin appeared significantly associated to hs-CRP in males in a model explaining 14.3% of hs-CRP variation. In females, only leptin appeared related to hs-CRP concentrations. After adjusting by leptin and adiponectin, males in the highest hs-CRP tertile showed significantly lower levels of HDL-cholesterol and HDL-phospholipid than those in tertiles 1 and 2, while no significant differences in HDL-cholesterol and HDL-phospholipid concentrations by hs-CRP tertile were observed in females. In summary, high hs-CRP levels were associated with lower plasma HDL-cholesterol and HDL-phospholipid concentrations in male adolescents irrespective of adipokines, while in females, HDL-related parameters are not associated with hs-CRP concentrations.