title: Association between plasma alkaline phosphatase and C-reactive protein in Hong Kong Chinese.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. b.cheung@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Bernard M Y
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Kwok Leung
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: Roberta V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Louisa Y F
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Nelson M S
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Wat
authors.forename: Sidney
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.forename: Gabriel M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Chun Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Edward D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Janus
authors.forename: Chu Pak
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Tai Hing
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Karen S L
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lam
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase