Association between plasma alkaline phosphatase and C-reactive protein in Hong Kong Chinese.
BACKGROUND
Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a biomarker for hepatobiliary and skeletal diseases. It is also raised in sepsis. In atherosclerotic plaques, ALP is expressed. Similar to C-reactive protein (CRP), it may be another marker of systemic inflammation. Therefore, we investigated their association in a Hong Kong Chinese population.


METHODS
Plasma ALP and CRP were measured in 205 subjects (110 men, 95 women; age 55.2+/-11.6 years) in the Hong Kong Cardiovascular Risk Factor Prevalence Study-2 cohort.


RESULTS
The blood levels of ALP and CRP were significantly correlated (r=0.30, p<0.001), which was due to a significant correlation in women (r=0.43, p<0.001). In a multivariate model, CRP level was related to ALP (beta=0.18, p=0.008). After adjusting for confounding factors and other liver enzymes, the relationship between ALP and CRP remained significant in women (beta=0.28, p=0.019), but in men, ALP was not an independent determinant of CRP levels.


CONCLUSIONS
ALP may be another marker of systemic inflammation, especially in women. Whether it provides clinical information additional to CRP requires further study.
Cheung
Bernard M Y
BM
Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. b.cheung@bham.ac.uk
Ong
Kwok Leung
KL
Cheung
Roberta V
RV
Wong
Louisa Y F
LY
Wat
Nelson M S
NM
Tam
Sidney
S
Leung
Gabriel M
GM
Cheng
Chun Ho
CH
Woo
Jean
J
Janus
Edward D
ED
Lau
Chu Pak
CP
Lam
Tai Hing
TH
Lam
Karen S L
KS
D000368:Aged; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase