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Variability and classification accuracy of serial high-sensitivity C-reactive protein measurements in healthy adults

I S Ockene1, C E Matthews, N Rifai

  • 1Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Ave. North, Worcester, MA 01655, USA. ira.ockene@umassmed.edu.

Clinical Chemistry
|March 10, 2001
PubMed

Insights

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) exhibits similar measurement stability to total cholesterol. This finding is crucial for understanding inflammation markers and cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Clinical Chemistry
  • Cardiovascular Disease Research

Background:

  • High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a marker for systemic inflammation.
  • Elevated hs-CRP concentrations are linked to increased coronary heart disease risk.
  • hs-CRP exhibits significant biological variation due to its inflammatory association.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the biological variation of hs-CRP.
  • To compare the variation of hs-CRP with total serum cholesterol.
  • To assess the classification accuracy of hs-CRP measurements.

Main Methods:

  • 113 individuals underwent five measurements of hs-CRP and total cholesterol over one year.
  • Measurements were taken at quarterly intervals.
  • Variations were characterized, and classification accuracy was compared between hs-CRP and total cholesterol.

Main Results:

  • Relative variation was comparable between hs-CRP and total cholesterol.
  • 63% of initial hs-CRP measurements agreed within quartiles, compared to 60% for total cholesterol.
  • 90% of hs-CRP measurements fell within one quartile of each other, unaffected by log transformation.

Conclusions:

  • hs-CRP demonstrates a degree of measurement stability comparable to total cholesterol.
  • This stability is relevant for clinical interpretation of hs-CRP as an inflammation marker.
  • Findings support the reliability of hs-CRP in assessing cardiovascular risk.
Abstract

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