Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Injury, Cardiac Stress and Inflammation in Adults with and Without Diabetes Mellitus: A Comparative Study

Background: Diabetes mellitus is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity, but the pattern of selected inflammatory and cardiac biomarkers among people with and without diabetes may vary across populations. This study compared selected biomarkers between participants with and without diabetes mellitus.  Methods: This cross-sectional comparative study included 133 clinic attendees in Gaborone, Botswana: 71 with diabetes and 62 without diabetes. Biomarkers measured were high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), creatine kinase (CK), CK-MB, troponin I and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). Continuous variables were summarised using medians and interquartile ranges (IQRs) and compared using Mann–Whitney U tests. Holm adjustment was applied across five biomarker comparisons. Adjusted associations were examined using separate log-linear regression models for each biomarker, controlling for age, sex, recalculated body mass index and systolic blood pressure. Background: Diabetes mellitus is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity, but the pattern of selected inflammatory and cardiac biomarkers among people with and without diabetes may vary across populations. This study compared selected biomarkers between participants with and without diabetes mellitus.  Methods: This cross-sectional comparative study included 133 clinic attendees in Gaborone, Botswana: 71 with diabetes and 62 without diabetes. Biomarkers measured were high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), creatine kinase (CK), CK-MB, troponin I and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). Continuous variables were summarised using medians and interquartile ranges (IQRs) and compared using Mann–Whitney U tests. Holm adjustment was applied across five biomarker comparisons. Adjusted associations were examined using separate log-linear regression models for each biomarker, controlling for age, sex, recalculated body mass index and systolic blood pressure.