Systemic inflammation contributes to the development and progression of cardiometabolic complications in T2DM. hsCRP is a widely used biomarker for systemic inflammation and a predictor of cardiovascular risk. A study published in Diabetology evaluated whether semaglutide lowers hsCRP levels and examined whether the change was mediated by glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) or body weight.

This prospective 6-month follow-up study included 70 outpatients with T2DM treated with metformin and/or a sulfonylurea. Semaglutide was added to ongoing therapy. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), glycemic indices including HbA1c and fasting glucose, and anthropometric parameters were assessed at baseline and at 6 months. Body weight and body mass index (BMI) were recorded as part of the anthropometric evaluation.

Semaglutide led to a substantial decline in hsCRP, decreasing from 4.90 ± 1.21 mg/L at baseline to 2.23 ± 2.21 mg/L at 6 months. The reduction occurred alongside improvements in HbA1c and modest weight loss, but mediation analyses indicated that neither glycemic change nor weight reduction fully explained the decrease in hsCRP.

These findings suggest that semaglutide may exert a direct anti-inflammatory effect in addition to its glucose-lowering actions. The observed reduction in hsCRP highlights a potential mechanism with relevance to cardiometabolic risk management in individuals with T2DM.