Variation in the C-reactive protein gene is associated with serum levels of CRP in patients with acute ischemic stroke.
OBJECTIVE
Elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) are found in up to three quarters of patients with acute ischemic stroke and are associated with poor outcome. We investigated whether haplotypes representing common variations in the CRP gene are associated with levels of CRP in patients with acute ischemic stroke.


METHODS
We included 185 patients with ischemic stroke in whom CRP was measured within 24 h of symptom onset. Common haplotypes within the CRP gene were determined by 3 genotype-tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).


RESULTS
Four haplotypes with frequencies >5% covered 99.2% of the genetic variation. Haplotype 4 (CCG, frequency 8.3%) was associated with a 20.6 mg/l (95% CI, 9.8-30.4) stronger increase in CRP level as compared with haplotype 1 (CTC, frequency 33.7%).


CONCLUSIONS
Variation in the CRP gene is associated with levels of CRP in acute ischemic stroke.
den Hertog
Heleen M
HM
Department of Neurology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. m.denhertog @ erasmusmc.nl
van den Herik
Evita G
EG
Dippel
Diederik W J
DW
Koudstaal
Peter J
PJ
de Maat
Moniek P M
MP
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D006239:Haplotypes / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012307:Risk Factors
D002097:C-Reactive Protein