Neck circumference: a simple screening parameter for cardiovascular risk in diabetics

Introduction
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is considered a biomarker of cardiovascular disease (CVD). WHO has recommended waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio, and waist-to-height ratio as screening tools for CVD. Various studies used neck circumference (NC) as a method for measuring of the upper-body fat, and it was positively correlated to WC and BMI.
Aim
The aim was to investigate the correlation between NC as a screening tool for cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetic patients and circulatory levels of hs-CRP and fibrinogen as biomarkers of inflammation in CVD.
Patients and methods
A total of 100 patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited from the diabetes clinic in Mansoura specialized medical hospital fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were divided into two groups according to the measured circulatory levels of hs-CRP: group 1 included 46 participants whose circulatory levels of hs-CRP were less than 5, and group 2 included 54 participants whose circulatory levels of hs-CRP were greater than or equal to 5. All recruited participants were subjected to fasting blood sample to measure low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, A1c, fibrinogen, and hs-CRP.
Results
Group 1 with hs-CRP less than 5 showed a significant increase in BMI, WC, NC, ischemic heart disease, fibrinogen, and HBA1c in relation to group 2. There was a significant positive correlation between NC and BMI, WC, and low-density lipoprotein (=0.397, 0.520, and 0.317, respectively), with value less than 0.05. Cutoff value of NC more than 40.50 cm is a predictor of CVD.
Conclusion
NC can be effectively used as a screening parameter for identification of cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetic patients.