Cox AJ et al. – This study documents the utility of C–reactive protein in predicting risk for all–cause mortality in European Americans with Type 2 diabetes and supports its use as a screening tool in risk prediction models.

• A total of 846 European Americans with Type 2 diabetes and baseline measures of C-reactive protein were evaluated.
• Vital status was determined after a follow-up period of 7.3 ± 2.1 years (mean ± SD).
• C-reactive protein concentrations were compared between living and deceased subgroups along with other known risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including blood lipids.
• Logistic regression was performed to determine risk for mortality associated with increasing C-reactive protein concentrations.

• At follow-up 160 individuals (18.7%) were deceased.
• No significant differences in baseline serum glucose or lipid measures were observed between living and deceased subgroups.
• Baseline C-reactive protein concentrations were significantly higher in the deceased subgroup (9.37 ± 15.94) compared with the living subgroup (5.36 ± 7.91?mg/l; P < 0.0001).
• Participants with C-reactive protein concentrations of 3-10 mg/l were approximately two times more likely to be deceased at follow-up (OR 2.06; 95% CI 1.17-3.62); those with C-reactive protein >10 mg/l were more than five times more likely to be deceased (OR 5.24; CI 2.80-9.38).