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

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.