title: C-reactive protein 3' UTR +1444C>T polymorphism in patients with spontaneous venous thromboembolism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Data on C-reactive protein (CRP) as a risk indicator of venous thromboembolism are conflicting. A recent study reported higher CRP levels in homozygous carriers of a novel CRP gene polymorphism at the 3' UTR (CRP +1444C>T). We investigated, whether homozygosity for CRP +1444C>T is associated with an increased risk of spontaneous venous thromboembolism (VTE).
  
  
  RESULTS
  CRP +1444C>T genotype and plasma levels were assessed in 128 patients with deep venous thrombosis (DVT, 70 females/58 males), 105 with pulmonary embolism (PE, 58 females/47 males) and 122 healthy individuals (60 females/62 males). CRP +1444TT was significantly associated with increased CRP plasma levels in healthy individuals. CRP +1444TT was more frequent (14%) among controls than DVT patients (9%, p=0.26) or PE patients (6%, p=0.05), respectively. No significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was observed in patients (p=0.8) or controls (p=0.3), respectively. CRP +1444C>T was not significantly associated with CRP levels in patients with VTE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Homozygous carriers of the CRP 3' UTR +1444C>T polymorphism do not have a significantly increased risk of VTE. Our data support the assumption that a clinically relevant association between CRP and VTE is missing.
authors.affiliation: Division of Haematology and Haemostaseology, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vormittag
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Funk
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mannhalter
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schönauer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vukovich
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Minar
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bialonczyk
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirschl
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pabinger
mesh_terms: D001317:Austria; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000235:genetics*; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein