title: C-reactive protein in arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy and relationship with ventricular tachycardia.
abstract: Background. The relationship between C-reactive protein (CRP) elevation and ventricular tachycardia (VT) in arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C) is unclear. Methods and Results. In 91 consecutive patients with either ARVD/C with or without VT (cases) or idiopathic right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) tachycardia (controls), blood sampling were taken to determine CRP levels. In ARVD/C patients with VT, we analyzed the association between VT occurrences and CRP level. Sixty patients had ARVD/C, and 31 had idiopathic RVOT VT. Patients with ARVD/C had a significant higher level of CRP compared to those with RVOT VT (3.5 ± 4.9 versus 1.1 ± 1.2 mg/l, P = .0004). In ARVD/C group, 77%, (n = 46) patients experienced VT. Of these, 37% (n = 17) underwent blood testing for CRP within 24 h after the onset of VT and the remaining 63% (n = 29) after 24 h of VT reduction. CRP level was similar in ARVD/C patients with or without documented VT (3.6 ± 5.1 mg/l versus 3.1 ± 4.1 mg/l, P = .372). However, in patients with ARVD/C and documented VT, CRP was significantly higher when measured within 24 hours following VT in comparison to that level when measured after 24 h (4.9 ± 6.2 mg/l versus 3.0 ± 4.4 mg/l, P = .049). Conclusion. Inflammatory state is an active process in patients with ARVD/C. Moreover, there is a higher level of CRP in patients soon after ventricular tachycardia, and this probably tends to decrease after the event.
authors.affiliation: Service de Cardiologie, Hôpital Saint Camille, 2 rue des pères camilliens, 94366 Bry-sur-Marne, France.
authors.forename: Aimé
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonny
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lellouche
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ditah
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hidden-Lucet
authors.forename: Martial T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Yitemben
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Granger
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Larrazet
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fontaine