# Cohort of 8,141 adults in China: non-traditional lipids and hs-CRP jointly linked to cardiometabolic multimorbidity

- Published: 2026-11-14 06:51 UTC
- Section: Life & Health › Medicine
- Tags: cardiometabolic multimorbidity, non-traditional lipid parameters, hs-CRP, CHARLS cohort, coronary heart disease, diabetes and stroke, risk stratification, C-statistic, net reclassification improvement, prospective cohort study
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-8f842b251f824bad8b425a65_cohort_of_8/

**In a prospective cohort, 961 of 8,141 participants aged 45+ developed cardiometabolic multimorbidity; high lipid parameters together with elevated hs-CRP gave a 57–82% higher risk.**

![Cohort of 8,141 adults in China: non-traditional lipids and hs-CRP jointly linked to cardiometabolic multimorbidity](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/f4043c8a6a33b505.jpg)
*Goleisureintl, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0*

A prospective cohort study, available via doi.org, analysed 8,141 participants aged 45 years and older from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) was defined as the presence of at least two of diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke [1]. During a median follow-up of 9.0 years (IQR 7.0–9.0), 961 participants (11.8%) developed incident CMM [1].

The authors calculated non-traditional lipid parameters and categorised high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) as below 1 mg/L or 1 mg/L and above. They used Cox regression, restricted cubic splines, Kaplan–Meier curves, interaction and age-stratified analyses, as well as net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) [1].

## Lipids, hs-CRP and risk

In fully adjusted models, each 1-standard-deviation increment in non-traditional lipid parameters was associated with a 14%–25% higher risk (all P < 0.05) [1]. When participants were split by the median, those with high lipid levels had a 19%–46% higher risk than those with low levels [1]. Lipid parameters and hs-CRP were each associated with CMM risk in separate multivariate-adjusted models [1].

Relative to the group with both low lipid levels and low hs-CRP, participants with both high lipids and elevated hs-CRP had a 57%–82% relative increase in risk. The trend across the combined categories was a significant dose–response (P < 0.05) [1]. Spline analysis showed a non-linear positive association for LCI and hs-CRP, and linear relationships for the other parameters. No significant interaction between lipid parameters and hs-CRP was observed [1].

## Age and predictive value

Associations were stronger in participants younger than 60 years, with significant interactions for most non-traditional lipid parameters [1]. Adding lipid parameters and hs-CRP to the basic model raised the C-statistic from 0.681 to 0.707, with significant NRI and IDI values (all P < 0.001) [1].

The authors describe this as a modest but statistically significant incremental discriminative value beyond conventional risk factors. They state that the absolute gain is small and that the markers are not yet ready to change clinical practice. According to the authors, the findings support combined assessment of lipid parameters and inflammatory status for CMM risk stratification in high-risk populations [1].

## Sources

1. [doi.org](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12872-026-06969-1)
2. [bioengineer.org](https://bioengineer.org/non-traditional-lipids-and-inflammation-jointly-predict-cardiometabolic-multimorbidity-risk)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-8f842b251f824bad8b425a65_cohort_of_8/