Association between C-reactive protein and coronary calcium score 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 if it reflects a process leading to acute coronary events.


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


CONCLUSIONS
High-sensitivity CRP was not correlated with CCS. The relationship 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
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Department of Cardiology, Shaheed Rajaei Cardiovascular Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. ali_hosseinsabet@yahoo.com
Mohebbi
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Almasi
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D000368:Aged; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D037021:Thyroid Hormone Receptors alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D037021:Thyroid Hormone Receptors alpha; D002118:Calcium