title: Prognostic impact of baseline high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention based on body mass index.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a marker of inflammation and may lead to the development of atherosclerosis, adversely affecting mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between baseline hs-CRP level and 12-month clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) according to their body mass index (BMI) status.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using data from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry from November 2005 to September 2008, a total of 8174 consecutive AMI patients were studied. Cox proportional hazard model revealed that higher baseline levels of hs-CRP was associated with 12-month all-cause mortality (p=0.045). To further understand this association, patients were divided into 3 groups based on their body mass index: 1) overweight/obese, 2) normal weight, and 3) underweight patients. Then each group was stratified into quartiles based on their hs-CRP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In overweight/obese patients, Cox model showed significant association of hs-CRP with 12-month mortality when adjusted for age and gender (p<0.001), however, after adjustment with multiple covariates, mortality was highest in the 4th quartile {HR 2.382, (1.079-5.259), p=0.032} though statistically insignificant (p=0.172). We observed no significant association of serum hs-CRP with 12-month mortality in normal weight (p=0.681) and underweight (p=0.760) patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Higher baseline hs-CRP level (≥4.08 mg/dL) in overweight/obese AMI patients showed significant association with 12-month all-cause mortality independent of other prognostic markers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Chonnam National University College of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Khurshid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Myung Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Rabin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chakraborty
authors.forename: Kyung Hoon
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Doo Sun
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.forename: Young Joon
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Youngkeun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hachinohe
authors.forename: Myeong Chan
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Chong Jin
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Jo
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim