Association of C-Reactive Protein and Fibrinogen with Metabolic and Cardiovascular Risk Parameters among Diabetic Patients with and without Cardiac Disease

Original Article

Abstract

Objective: To compare metabolic, lipid, inflammatory, and coagulation-related parameters among diabetic patients with and without cardiac disease and to evaluate correlations between C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen and selected clinical and biochemical parameters.

Methodology: This Case Control analytical study was conducted in the Department of Biochemistry, Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, from October 2025 to March 2026. We included 200 diabetic participants: 100 patients with cardiac diseases and 100 patients without cardiac disease. We evaluated group differences using appropriate comparative statistical tests and performed Pearson correlation analysis to assess relationships between CRP or fibrinogen and selected metabolic and lipid parameters. We considered p <0.05 statistically significant.

Results: The overall mean age was 61.50±9.82 years, and the mean BMI was 28.17±3.23 kg/m². Cardiac diabetic patients had higher FBS (213.80±91.62 vs. 175.61±59.14 mg/dL), HbA1c (10.17±3.45 vs. 8.31±3.04%), CRP (18.43±4.22 vs. 12.67±6.17), and fibrinogen (478.63±165.98 vs. 413.44±139.75) (all p≤0.003). Lipid abnormalities were more frequent in cardiac patients. CRP and fibrinogen showed significant correlations with lipid parameters and BMI across groups

Conclusion: Cardiac diabetic patients demonstrated poorer glycaemic control and higher inflammatory and fibrinogen levels than diabetic patients without cardiac disease. The findings suggest that CRP and fibrinogen may reflect different components of the metabolic and cardiovascular risk profile in diabetes. Further prospective studies are required to determine their clinical and prognostic significance