title: No Association Between High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein and Carotid Intima-Media Progression: The APAC Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a risk indicator for atherosclerosis. However, the association between hs-CRP and early carotid atherosclerosis progression is not well established. We undertook a prospective, community-based, observational study to address this question.
  
  
  METHODS
  Common carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) and hs-CRP values were measured at baseline and after 2 years of follow-up in subjects ≥40 years of age who were participating in the Asymptomatic Polyvascular Abnormalities Community study. Association between hs-CRP values and IMT progression was determined before and after controlling for vascular risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IMT was measured in a total of 1918 subjects at baseline and 52.97% of those (1016 of 1918) had IMT progression after 2 years. No significant association between progression of IMT over a 2-year period and average hs-CRP levels was found (multivariate-adjusted, P for trend = .280). Both hs-CRP values measured at baseline (P = .836) and after 2 years of follow-up (P = .440) were not associated with IMT progression levels. Average hs-CRP values were not related to IMT progression levels in a dose-response manner (P = .784). In a subgroup analysis stratified by age and sex, hs-CRP values were also not significantly associated with IMT progression levels (P > .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that hs-CRP is not a predictor for the progression of early atherosclerotic changes of the carotid arteries. The hs-CRP levels in early atherosclerosis might be considered as risk markers rather than having a causal role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China; Center of Stroke, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Disease, Beijing, China; Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Anxin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China; Center of Stroke, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Disease, Beijing, China; Department of Neurology, Wenzhou Central Hospital & Dingli Clinical Institute of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoya
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Tangshan People's Hospital Tangshan, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoxue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Academy of public health and management, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China.
authors.forename: Zhaoping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China; Center of Stroke, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Disease, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jianwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Kailuan Hospital, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China.
authors.forename: Shuohua
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Kailuan Hospital, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China.
authors.forename: Xuemei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Kailuan Hospital, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China.
authors.forename: Chunyu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: statguo@ccmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiuhua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Kailuan Hospital, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China. Electronic address: drwusl@163.com.
authors.forename: Shouling
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; China National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases, Beijing, China; Center of Stroke, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Disease, Beijing, China. Electronic address: zxq@vip.163.com.
authors.forename: Xingquan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein; atherosclerosis; carotid intima-media thickness; inflammation