Clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with atherothrombotic risk factors presenting with low concentrations of highly sensitive C-reactive protein.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify whether individuals with low concentrations of highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) are free of atherothrombotic risk factors or low-grade inflammation.


RESULTS
This cross-sectional study included 1266 individuals with risk factors (diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, obesity). Eighty percent of women and the same percentage of men with a low concentration (0.8 +/- 0.4 mg/l) of hs-CRP had at least one atherothrombotic risk factor. About one-fourth of the females and a one-third of the males with a low concentration of hs-CRP had at least one laboratory marker of chronic inflammation (erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), white blood cell count (WBCC) or fibrinogen concentration) in the upper 75th percentile.


CONCLUSIONS
Individuals presenting with low concentrations of hs-CRP are not necessarily free of atherothrombotic risk factors. One-fourth of the females and a third of the males in this group presented laboratory evidence of a low-grade inflammation as detected by increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, white blood cell count or fibrinogen concentration.
Zeltser
David
D
Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine "D", Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Rogowski
Ori
O
Mardi
Tamar
T
Justo
Daniel
D
Tolshinsky
Tatiana
T
Goldin
Yelena
Y
Burke
Michael
M
Deutsch
Varda
V
Berliner
Shlomo
S
Shapira
Itzhak
I
D000328:Adult; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D007249:Inflammation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology
D002097:C-Reactive Protein