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Gender, obesity and repeated elevation of C-reactive protein: data from the CARDIA cohort

Shinya Ishii1, Arun S Karlamangla, Marcos Bote

  • 1Department of Geriatric Medicine, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. sishii76@gmail.com

Plos One
|May 5, 2012
PubMed

Insights

High C-reactive protein (CRP) levels over 10 mg/L may indicate chronic inflammation, especially in obese women. Repeated elevations suggest chronic conditions, not just acute inflammation.

Area of Science:

  • Biomedical research
  • Epidemiology
  • Inflammation markers

Background:

  • C-reactive protein (CRP) above 10 mg/L traditionally signifies acute inflammation.
  • Emerging evidence indicates that elevated CRP can also reflect chronic inflammatory processes.
  • This challenges conventional exclusion of high CRP from chronic inflammation studies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine factors linked to repeated CRP elevations above 10 mg/L.
  • To identify high-risk subgroups for persistent CRP elevation.
  • To assess how CRP thresholds affect the likelihood of one-time versus repeated elevations.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of CRP measurements from 3,300 participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study.
  • Longitudinal assessment of CRP levels between 1992/3 and 2005/6.
  • Statistical analysis to identify associations and risk factors for repeated CRP elevation.

Main Results:

  • 6.8% of participants had one-time CRP elevation (>10 mg/L), while 3.1% had repeated elevations.
  • Repeated CRP elevation was associated with obesity, female gender, low income, and sex hormone use.
  • Obese women (BMI > 31 kg/m²) showed the lowest probability (51%) of a single elevation, suggesting chronic inflammation.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated CRP (>10 mg/L) in obese women is likely indicative of chronic inflammation.
  • Current CRP thresholds may need re-evaluation for distinguishing acute from chronic inflammation, particularly in specific demographics.
  • Further research into CRP as a marker for chronic inflammation in at-risk populations is warranted.

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