High sensitivity C-reactive protein as a cardiovascular risk marker in independent community-living elderly persons

An alarming fact is that increasing numbers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events occur more often among elderly individuals without previous occurrence of CVD. There are numerous modifiable risk factors such as dyslipidemia,-and inflammatory markers, as well as cardiovascular events risk charts, in the identification and prevention of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among elderly population. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze some CVD risk factors as well as international CVD risk charts in independent community-living elderly persons in relation to their hs-CRP concentration in serum. Of 516 elderly Caucasians, 50 were non-smoking, with no positive history of chronic or acute diseases. The patients' clinical, biochemical and CVD risk charts were recorded. The CRP values were categorized according to the known cut-off points for stratification of cardiovascular risk: low risk patients with hs-CRP of less than 1 mg/L (low hs-CRP), moderate risk with hs-CRP of 1-3 mg/L (moderate hs- CRP) and high risk with hs-CRP of >3 mg/L (high hs-CRP). The groups did not differ in terms of age, anthropometric measures, fasting glucose, creatinine and uric acid concentration or analyzed CVD risk scales. The relationship between hs-CRP levels and both lipid profile and arterial blood pressure are linearly dependent (p less than 0.02). The negative correlation for the hs-CRP and fasting glucose and DIA were found in low hs-CRP (r= -0.619; p less than 0.05 and r= -0.580; p less than 0.05 respectively) and for the hs-CRP and uric acid (r=-0.850; p less than 0.05) in the moderate hs-CRP risk group. Thus, this study should greatly simplify decision-making for clinicians around the world.