[C-reactive protein and homocysteine as risk factors of atherosclerosis]

Atherosclerosis is a chronic disorder with a complex pathology. Apart from classical risk factors such as: hypertension, elevated serum lipids, cigarette smoking, diabetes and obesity, other new risk factors involved in atherosclerosis development have been discovered. These new factors include molecules associated with inflammation such as C-reactive protein (CRP), and also eleveted homocysteine (Hcy).

To estimate the frequency of enhanced CRP and Hcy levels in two groups of patients: in patients with diagnosed coronary heart disease (CHD group) and without CHD symptoms (control), matched for serum cholesterol levels, age, sex, body mass index and blood pressure.

335 subjects: 182 females, 153 males, aged between 42-63. In all studied subjects serum levels of total and HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, Hcy and CRP levels were determined.

HCY-levels lower than 10 mmol/l were observed in 53.3% of the controls and in 27.7% of the group diagnosed with coronary heart disease. Hcy above 15 mmol/l was observed in 29.7% of CHD group and in only 5% of the controls. 78.5% of controls had CRP levels concentrations not higher than 2 mg/l. CRP levels above 3 mg/l were observed only in 9.9% of controls and in up to 66.5% of the patients with coronary heart disease.

CRP and Hcy levels have been recognized as parameters that strongly differentiate patients with classically diagnosed heart disease from people without clinical symptoms of the illness but with similar serum lipid levels, similar BMI and blood pressure.