Systemic Inflammation and Adverse Outcomes in Patients With Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease and Chronic Kidney

Alexander T Sandhu1, Adam Furst2, Fatima Rodriguez3

  • 1Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA; Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California, USA.

JACC. Advances
|April 23, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Systemic inflammation (SI) in Veterans with cardiovascular disease and kidney disease significantly increases the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), hospitalizations, and healthcare costs.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Nephrology
  • Health Economics

Background:

  • Systemic inflammation (SI), indicated by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), is prevalent in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
  • Understanding the impact of SI on cardiovascular and economic outcomes in this dual-diagnosis population is crucial for clinical management and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between systemic inflammation (SI) and cardiovascular events, acute care utilization, and healthcare costs among Veterans diagnosed with both ASCVD and CKD.
  • To quantify the increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and economic burden attributable to SI in this cohort.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of Veterans with ASCVD and CKD undergoing hsCRP testing between 2008 and 2022.
  • Classification of patients into SI (hsCRP 2-10 mg/L) and non-SI (hsCRP <2 mg/L) groups.
  • Utilized Cox regression, negative binomial regression, and gamma regression to assess associations with MACE, hospitalizations, and costs, respectively.

Main Results:

  • Veterans with SI were younger and had a higher prevalence of peripheral arterial disease.
  • A significantly higher rate of MACE (11.64 vs 8.66 per 100 patient-years) was observed in the SI group.
  • SI was independently associated with a 40% increased risk of MACE (HR: 1.40), increased hospitalizations (IRR: 1.24), and an additional $4,115 in annual healthcare costs.

Conclusions:

  • Systemic inflammation is a significant independent predictor of adverse cardiovascular outcomes in Veterans with ASCVD and CKD.
  • SI contributes to increased healthcare utilization and substantial economic costs in this patient population.
  • Targeting systemic inflammation may be a key strategy to improve outcomes and reduce costs for Veterans with comorbid ASCVD and CKD.
Abstract

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