Study of C-reactive protein and C3 complement as acute phase reactants in unstable angina

Prevalence rates of coronary artery disease are reported to be very high in Asian Indians. Traditional risk factors alone fail to explain the high rates of coronary artery disease in Indians. Acute phase reactants C-reactive protein and C3 in Indian subjects with unstable angina were evaluated and compared them with suitable controls to test the hypothesis that a relationship exists between acute phase reactants and unstable angina. Forty cases of unstable angina and forty suitable controls were enrolled for the study. Cases of unstable angina had significantly increased level of CRP as compared to control group (p = 0.01098). Statistically significant difference was found between case and control groups in TLC (p = 0.0037) and ESR (p = 0.0368), TLC and ESR being more in case group as compared to control group. C-reactive protein was significantly correlated with TLC, ESR and C3 in case group and TLC and ESR in control group. C3 was significantly correlated with all the other three inflammatory markers. C-reactive protein, TLC and ESR in case group while no correlation was observed with any variable in control group. The present study concludes that a relationship exists between acute phase reactants studied and unstable angina.