C-Reactive Protein Adds to the Predictive Value of Total and HDL Cholesterol in Determining Risk of First Myocardial Infarction

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Background—C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sensitive marker of inflammation, and elevated levels have been associated with future risk of myocardial infarction (MI). However, whether measurement of CRP adds to the predictive value of total cholesterol (TC) and HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) in determining risk is uncertain. Methods and Results—Among 14 916 apparently healthy men participating in the Physicians’ Health Study, baseline levels of CRP, TC, and HDL-C were measured among 245 study subjects who subsequently developed a first MI (cases) and among 372 subjects who remained free of cardiovascular disease during an average follow-up period of 9 years (controls). In univariate analyses, high baseline levels of CRP, TC, and TC:HDL-C ratio were each associated with significantly increased risks of future MI (all P values <0.001). In multivariate analyses, models incorporating CRP and lipid parameters provided a significantly better method to predict risk than did models using lipids alone (all likelihood ratio ...