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High-sensitivity C-reactive protein at different stages of atherosclerosis: results of the INVADE study

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Abstract

Evidence on the role of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) at different stages of atherosclerosis is limited. We therefore analyzed the relationship between hsCRP and measures of subclinical and advanced atherosclerosis in a population-based sample of the INVADE study (n = 3,092, >55 years). The parameters of interest were IMT, ABI, and the stage of atherosclerosis. Differences between participants with normal and pathological hsCRP were analyzed by t test for independent samples or Fishers’ exact test. Differences of hsCRP between IMT quartiles, ABI quartiles, and different stages of atherosclerosis were analyzed by one-way ANOVA. Adjusted stepwise multiple linear regression analysis (IMT and ABI) and adjusted analysis of variance (stage of atherosclerosis) were performed, including significant baseline parameters as covariates. ANOVA showed significant differences of hsCRP among IMT quartiles, ABI quartiles, and patients with and without atherosclerosis. The adjusted analyses confirmed that the effects of IMT, ABI, and atherosclerosis on hsCRP were independent from other significant baseline parameters, but did not yield a significant difference between subclinical and advanced stages of atherosclerosis. The present analysis indicates an independent relationship between hsCRP and both IMT and ABI as measures of subclinical atherosclerosis. The comparison of subclinical and advanced stages of atherosclerosis yielded no significant difference, indicating that hsCRP is sensitive to identify vascular risk patients, but not suited to monitor progression of the disease.

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Acknowledgments

The work was supported by the German health insurance company AOK in Bavaria. We thank Tibor Schuster from the Institute of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology (TU Munich) for expert advice on the statistical analysis and discussion of the data.

Conflict of interest statement

There was no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, Muenchen, Germany

    Carla Schulze Horn & Horst Bickel

  2. Department of Neurology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, 81675, Muenchen, Germany

    Carla Schulze Horn, Ruediger Ilg, Kerstin Sander, Bernhard Hemmer & Holger Poppert

  3. The Invade Study Group, 85598, Baldham, Germany

    Claus Briesenick

  4. Department of Neurology, Medical Park Loipl, 83483, Bischofswiesen, Germany

    Kerstin Sander & Dirk Sander

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  1. Carla Schulze Horn
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Correspondence to Carla Schulze Horn.

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Schulze Horn, C., Ilg, R., Sander, K. et al. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein at different stages of atherosclerosis: results of the INVADE study. J Neurol 256, 783–791 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-009-5017-6

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