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.
Department of Cardiology, Shaheed Rajaei Cardiovascular Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. ali_hosseinsabet@yahoo.com
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Hosseinsabet
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Mohebbi
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Almasi
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