The relationship between C-reactive protein and other cardiovascular risk factors in men and women

C-reactive protein (CRP) has emerged as an important indicator of risk for cardiovascular disease. The impact of gender on the relationship between CRP and other cardiovascular risk factors, however, has not been thoroughly investigated.

Ninety men and 75 women participated in this study. Age, resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure, resting heart rate, body mass index, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, and hs-CRP were ascertained. Maximal oxygen consumption was obtained via treadmill testing, and aortic stiffness was measured using magnetic resonance imaging.

Log hs-CRP level was significantly higher in the female subjects compared with the males subjects (0.86 +/- 0.67 mg/L vs 0.63 +/- 0.44 mg/L, respectively; P = .003). In the male group, Pearson product moment correlation analysis showed that log hs-CRP was not significantly correlated (P > .10) with any of the other variables of interest. In the female group, however, log hs-CRP was significantly correlated (P < .05) with total cholesterol (r = 0.30), low-density lipoprotein (r = 0.27), tryglycerides (r = 0.51), and body mass index (r = 0.36). Linear regression analysis determined that triglycerides and body mass index explained 30% of the variability in log hs-CRP.

These results indicate that the relationship between CRP and other cardiac risk factors is different between apparently healthy men and women. The prognostic characteristics of CRP and the impact of statin therapy on CRP may therefore differ between men and women. Future research should be directed toward resolving this issue.