Association between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide in patients with hepatitis C virus infection.
BACKGROUND
Prior study showed HCV-infected patients have increased serum N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) and a possible left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. The objectives of the present paper were to investigate the characteristics of hs-CRP and its correlation with clinical profiles including NT-proBNP and echocardiographic variables in HCV-infected patients.


RESULTS
A total of 106 HCV-infected patients and 106 control healthy individuals were enrolled. The level of serum hs-CRP (median 1.023 mg/L, range 0.03∼5.379 mg/L) was significantly lower in all 106 patients than that in controls (median 3.147 mg/L, range 0.08~7.36 mg/L, P = 0.012). Although hs-CRP did not correlate significantly with NT-proBNP when all patients and controls were included (r = 0.169, P = 0.121), simple regression analysis demonstrated a statistically significant linear correlation between hs-CRP and NT-proBNP in HCV-infected patients group (r = 0.392, P = 0.017). Independent correlates of hs-CRP levels (R(2) = 0.13) were older age (β' = 0.031, P = 0.025) and NT proBNP (β' = 0.024, P = 0.017).


CONCLUSIONS
Although the level of serum hs-CRP decreased significantly, there was a significant association between hs-CRP and NT-proBNP in HCV-infected patients.
Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, China. chewenliang@tongji.edu.cn
Wenliang
W
Che
Buchun
B
Zhang
Wenling
W
Liu
Yidong
Y
Wei
Yawei
Y
Xu
Dayi
D
Hu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D002097:C-Reactive Protein