title: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentration in a healthy Brazilian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) for cardiovascular risk profiling requires knowledge of the distribution in different populations. We studied serum hs-CRP in a healthy Brazilian population, with no evidence of heart disease, relative to gender and smoking status as well as other clinical and laboratory variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  684 healthy Brazilian individuals, aged 14-74 years (mean 40.6 years), 295 men (43.1%) and 389 women (56.9%), were enrolled between July 1998 and July 2001. The relationship between the log-transformed hs-CRP, stratified by gender and smoking status (non-smokers, smokers), and clinical and laboratory variables were analyzed using the Spearman correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In a multiple linear regression model age (beta=1.0069, p=0.03), body mass index (BMI) (beta=1.0093, p<0.01), total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio (TC/HDL-C) (beta=1.1015, p<0.01) and heart rate (beta=1.0139, p<0.01) were independently correlated with hs-CRP. Stratification according to gender and smoking was able to disclose different interactions between these variables and hs-CRP. Variables significantly correlated in each stratum were as follows: in smoker men, age (beta=1.0236, p=0.04) and TC/HDL-C (beta=1.2065, p<0.01); in non-smoker men, BMI (beta=1.0786, p<0.01) and TC/HDL-C (beta=1.1397, p=0.01); in smoker women, BMI (beta=1.1006, p=0.03); and in non-smoker women, BMI (beta=1.0873, p<0.01), TC/HDL-C (beta=1.1405, p=0.01) and heart rate (beta=1.0165, p=0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical and laboratory variables studied influenced the concentration of hs-CRP according to gender and smoking. In assessing the risk of cardiovascular events in relation to serum hs-CRP level, stratification by gender and smoking status is indicated.
authors.affiliation: Heart Institute (InCor), University of São Paulo Medical School, General Outpatient Clinics, Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 44, 05403-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil. grafernando@incor.usp.br
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: Alexandre C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Maria do Rosário D O
authors.initials: Mdo R
authors.lastname: Latorre
authors.forename: José E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Krieger
authors.forename: Alfredo J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Mansur
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein