title: [The relationship between serum C-reactive protein levels and coronary artery disease in patients with stable angina pectoris and positive exercise stress test].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study we aimed to investigate whether serum C- reactive protein (CRP) levels are related with the incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and selection of management approaches in stable angina pectoris (SAP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Overall 134 patients (pts) with SAP and positive exercise stress test were investigated. All pts were divided into two groups according to the baseline levels of CRP. In group 1 (mean age 57.8+/-10.3 years) there were 41 pts with the level of CRP >0.50mg/dl (high levels of CRP) and group 2 consisted of 93 pts (mean age 56.0+/-11.7 years) with the CRP levels <0.50mg/dl (normal levels of CRP). We investigated the relationship between CRP levels with coronary artery disease and treatment strategies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in age, sex, hypertension and hyperlipidemia between groups. In group 1 (n=41) 36 pts, and in group 2 (n=93) 58 pts had CAD (p= 0.004). We found statistically significant relationship between high levels of CRP and smoking and diabetes mellitus. After adjustment of these risk factors by multivariate regression analyses the CRP association with CAD become attenuated but was still statistically significant (p=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study we found that high level CRP is an independent strong marker of CAD in middle-aged patients with stable angina and positive treadmill exercise test. There was no correlation between CRP levels and interventional procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Medical Faculty, Ege University, Izmir. dripek73@yahoo.com
authors.forename: E Ipek
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Türkoğlu
authors.forename: Cemil
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gürgün
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zoghi
authors.forename: Cüneyt
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Türkoğlu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein