title: C-reactive protein distribution and correlation with traditional cardiovascular risk factors in the Italian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  C-reactive protein (CRP) increases during an inflammatory response; its plasma levels are believed to be an independent predictor of future atherosclerotic disease. We report the distribution of plasma levels of CRP and its possible relationship with other cardiovascular risk factors in an Italian cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  CRP was assessed in frozen plasma samples of 1949 participants in the CHECK study (2001-2005), which collected clinical and biochemical data from randomly selected subjects (40-79 years) in the setting of Italian general practice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median CRP (interquartile range) was higher in women (1.42 [0.58-2.86] vs 1.28 [0.58-2.50]; p=.163), in people aged ≥ 65 years (1.74 [0.89-3.34] vs 1.11 [0.52-2.45]; p<.001), in patients with obesity (2.37 [1.27-4.15] vs 1.16 [0.52-2.41]; p<.001), metabolic syndrome (2.12 [1.16-3.72] vs 1.10 [0.50-2.38]; p<.001), or higher cardiovascular risk (2.03 [1.01-3.42] vs 1.19 [0.53-2.50]; p<.001). Stepwise regression analysis showed significant associations (R(2)=.264) of circulating log(e)CRP with body mass index, fibrinogen, apoB, age, gender, smoking habits, physical inactivity, creatinine levels, and systolic blood pressure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides epidemiological data of CRP in the Italian population and reinforces the existing evidences about the close correlation between CRP and markers of inflammation and adiposity.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Preventive Pharmacology Centre (SEFAP), Department of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casula
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tragni
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zambon
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Filippi
authors.forename: Ovidio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Brignoli
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cricelli
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poli
authors.forename: Alberico L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Catapano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein