Risk of myocardial infarction and angina in patients with severe peripheral vascular disease: predictive role of C-reactive protein.
BACKGROUND
Patients undergoing revascularization procedures for peripheral vascular disease (PVD) have a greatly increased risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) that is predicted only partly by clinical data and cardiovascular risk factors. We investigated whether the prognostic assessment in PVD patients could be improved by preoperative measurements of C-reactive protein (CRP).


RESULTS
We assessed clinical and risk factors profiles, Eagle clinical scores, and preoperative CRP serum levels in 51 patients with PVD at Fontaine-Leriche stages II to IV without severe rest ventricular dysfunction or ischemia. During 24 months of follow-up, 17 patients (34%) had fatal (11) or nonfatal (6) myocardial infarction (MI). With univariate logistic regression analysis, only previous history of CAD, Eagle score, and CRP were independently related to MI. At multivariate logistic regression analysis, only CRP values in the upper tertile (<9 mg/L) were significantly associated with MI (P<0.05) and identified 65% of cases.


CONCLUSIONS
The high incidence of MI in patients with PVD severe enough to require revascularization is strongly predicted by preprocedural measurements of serum CRP, independent of previous CAD, Eagle score index, and traditional cardiovascular risk factors. These patients may benefit from therapy modulating the inflammatory response.
Rossi
Elisabetta
E
Institute of Cardiology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy. eliros@libero.it
Biasucci
Luigi M
LM
Citterio
Franco
F
Pelliccioni
Simona
S
Monaco
Claudia
C
Ginnetti
Francesca
F
Angiolillo
Dominick J
DJ
Grieco
Gianni
G
Liuzzo
Giovanna
G
Maseri
Attilio
A
D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects
D002097:C-Reactive Protein