Lifestyle intervention and/or statins for the reduction of C-reactive protein in type 2 diabetes: From the Look AHEAD Study

OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular risk remains high despite statin use. Overweight/obese diabetic persons usually have normal/low LDL-cholesterol but high C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. We aimed to examine the effects of intensive lifestyle intervention for weight loss (ILI) on CRP levels in overweight/obese diabetic individuals by statin use. DESIGN AND METHODS: Look AHEAD was a randomized trial in overweight/obese type 2 diabetic individuals testing whether ILI would reduce cardiovascular mortality, when compared to usual care. We evaluated CRP changes in 1,431 participants with biomarker levels, who remained on or off statin treatment for 1-year. RESULTS: The reduction in CRP levels with ILI at 1 year in men and women on statins was −44.9 and −42.3 %, respectively, compared to −13.7 and −21.0 % for those on statins and usual care (p<0.0001). At 1 year, median CRP levels were: 1.8 mg/L in participants randomized to ILI on statin therapy; 2.6 mg/L for those on statins randomized to usual care and 2.9 mg/L for participants not on statins but randomized to ILI. Weight loss was associated with 1-year CRP reduction (p<0.0001) in statin and non-statin users. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that in overweight/obese diabetic persons, ILI and statin therapy may have substantial additive anti-inflammatory benefits.