title: Association between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and left ventricular diastolic function assessed by echocardiography in patients with cardiovascular risk factors.
abstract: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) has been demonstrated to play a causal role in atherosclerosis and to predict cardiovascular events in the general population. On the other hand, left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction assessed by echocardiography can also predict cardiovascular events in patients with cardiovascular risk factors. However, there are few data regarding the relationships among hsCRP, LV hypertrophy, and diastolic function. We examined the relationships among hsCRP, LV hypertrophy, and diastolic function in 185 patients (65±11 years), who had no overt heart disease, but had cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Echocardiography was performed to measure the left ventricular mass index (LVMI) as a parameter of LV hypertrophy. LV diastolic function was assessed by the ratio (E/A) of early (E) and late (A) diastolic transmitral flows, early diastolic mitral annular velocity (E'), and the ratio (E/E') of E to E' using Doppler echocardiography. The hsCRP was correlated with LVMI (r=0.228, p=0.002), E' (r=-0.276, p<0.001), and E/E' (r=0.419, p<0.001). The E/E' as a parameter of LV diastolic function showed the closest correlation to hsCRP. These results indicate that elevated hsCRP reflects LV diastolic dysfunction rather than LV hypertrophy. We therefore suggest that hsCRP may be a marker of subclinical LV diastolic dysfunction in patients with cardiovascular risk factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa, Japan. masuguta@med.kagawa-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Masugata
authors.forename: Shoichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Senda
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inukai
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murao
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tada
authors.forename: Naohisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hosomi
authors.forename: Yasuyoshi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwado
authors.forename: Takahisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Noma
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kohno
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Himoto
authors.forename: Fuminori
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Goda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D003971:Diastole / Q000502:physiology*; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein