C-reactive protein and coronary calcium score association in coronary artery disease.
BACKGROUND
Both high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and spiral computed tomography coronary artery calcium score (CCS) are valid markers of cardiovascular risk. It is unknown whether hs-CRP is a marker of atherosclerotic burden or whether it reflects a process leading to acute coronary events.


RESULTS
We studied the relation between hs-CRP and CCS in 143 patients that were candidates for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). In our cross-sectional study, we found no significant association between hs-CRP and CCS in bivariate (p = 0.162) and multivariate (p = 0.062) analysis, but in patients who did not use statins this association was positive and significant in bivariate analysis (p = 0.001), and in multivariate analysis this association was negative and significant (p = 0.008).


CONCLUSIONS
High-sensitivity CRP was not correlated with CCS. The relation between CRP and clinical events might not be related to atherosclerotic burden. Measures of inflammation, such as hs-CRP, and indices of atherosclerosis, such as CCS, are likely to provide distinct information regarding cardiovascular risk.
Hosseinsabet
Ali
A
Department of Cardiology, Shaheed Rajaei Cardiovascular Center, Vali-e-asr Avenue, Tehran, Iran. ali_hosseinsabet@yahoo.com
Mohebbi
Ahmad
A
Almasi
Alireza
A
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed
D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002118:Calcium