C-Reactive Protein and Risk of First-Ever Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke in a General Japanese Population

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Abstract
Background and Purpose— The role of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in the development of stroke is not clearly understood. We investigated the relationship between serum hsCRP levels and stroke occurrence in a general Japanese population. Methods— We followed 2692 subjects ≥40 years of age for 12 years. The relative risks and 95% CIs for ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke occurrence were calculated according to the hsCRP quintiles. Results— During the follow-up, 129 first-ever ischemic and 59 hemorrhagic strokes occurred. In men, the age-adjusted incidence of ischemic stroke significantly increased with elevated serum hsCRP levels; the difference between the first and fifth quintiles was statistically significant (1.4 versus 6.6 per 1000 person-years; P=0.02). This association remained significant even after adjustment for other confounding factors, such as age, systolic blood pressure, ECG abnormalities, diabetes, body mass index, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, smoking...