Clinical Significance of High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein in Patients with Preserved Renal Function Following...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Biomarkers
• Renal Function

Background:

• High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a known predictor of adverse cardiac events.
• Its role in long-term outcomes for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and preserved renal function after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) remains less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between preprocedural hs-CRP levels and long-term major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in patients with stable CAD and preserved renal function undergoing PCI.
• To assess the predictive value of hs-CRP for all-cause mortality in this specific patient group.

Main Methods:

• A registry study included 1,153 patients with stable CAD and estimated glomerular filtration rate > 60 mL/minute/1.73 m² who underwent their first PCI.
• Patients were stratified into tertiles based on preprocedural hs-CRP levels.
• Major adverse cardiac events (MACE), including all-cause death and nonfatal myocardial infarction, were tracked over a median follow-up of 7.5 years.

Main Results:

• Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed significantly diverging rates of MACE across hs-CRP tertiles (P = 0.003).
• Patients in the highest hs-CRP tertile (> 0.17 mg/L) experienced higher MACE rates (21.6%) compared to lower tertiles (12.1%).
• Adjusted analyses showed hs-CRP was independently associated with increased MACE (HR: 3.65) and all-cause mortality (HR: 5.14).

Conclusions:

• Preprocedural hs-CRP measurement is a valuable tool for assessing long-term risks in patients with stable CAD and preserved renal function post-PCI.
• Elevated hs-CRP levels identify patients at higher risk for future cardiac events and mortality.
• This finding supports the clinical utility of hs-CRP in risk stratification for this population.