CRP and metabolic syndrome: In a previous study from our group, we have shown that subjects with MetS, evenwithout overt diseases or under pharmacological treatment, already present an earlyendothelial dysfunction, demonstrated by a longer time to peak diameter and anincreased sE-selectin level.18Endothelial dysfunction appears to stimulate an inappropriate secretion ofproinflammatory and anti-inflammatory adipocytokines in subjects with MetS19 and may lead to a systemicinflammatory condition, which activates genes encoding CRP and other agents in theacute phase.