Is C-reactive protein a better predictor of recurrent carotid disease following carotid endarterectomy than established risk factors for atherosclerosis?
BACKGROUND
The study was undertaken to identify possible relations between established and novel risk factors for atherosclerosis (gender, age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking and C-reactive protein) and the possibility of carotid restenosis following carotid endarterectomy (CEA).


METHODS
A prospective study of 193 consecutive patients, admitted electively for carotid endarterectomy during 68 months, was conducted. 131 patients had symptomatic and 62 asymptomatic carotid disease. An attempt was made to follow-up on all operated arteries with duplex sonography at 2 months, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months postoperatively. The correlation of previously mentioned variables (gender, age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking and average values of C-reactive protein) with progressive or recurrent disease was determined by chi-square analysis and analysis of variance.


RESULTS
Of all 193 examined patients 29 demonstrated increasing degree of artery stenosis, while recurrent artery stenosis of > 69% was diagnosed in 11 patients. Age, gender, hypertension, and diabetes did not play a significant role in the presence of progressive (or recurrent) disease, while active smokers and patients with preoperative and average C-reactive protein (CRP) levels over 3.0 mg/L had a greater propensity to develop progression (or recurrence) of carotid disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased levels of CRP in serum may be a better predictor of carotid restenosis after CEA than other established risk factors for vascular disease--except active smoking.
Lusic
I
I
Department of Neurology, University Hospital Split, Croatia.
Radonic
V
V
Pavelin
S
S
Bilic
I
I
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors
D002097:C-Reactive Protein