Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) level is a sensitive marker of inflammation and a probable predictor of cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the presence and the extent of coronary atherosclerosis and CRP level in patients referred for coronary angiography for stable angina pectoris or a pathological exercise test.
Patients and methods: A group of 200 patients were prospectively analyzed for the relationship between the presence and extent of coronary atherosclerosis and high-sensitivity CRP. Patients with stable angina pectoris or a pathological exercise test were included.
Results: For the whole group the CRP geometric mean was 2.92 mg/l and the median 3.0 mg/l. There was no difference between groups of patients with different extents of coronary lesions (P = 0.320, one-way analysis of variance). In patients without significant coronary disease the CRP geometric mean was 3.1 (2.28-4.21) mg/l with a variation coefficient of 118.4%; in patients with coronary artery disease the geometric mean was 2.83 (2.34-3.43) mg/l with a variation coefficient of 104.0%. The difference in CRP between both groups was not significant (P = 0.601). There was also no significant difference in CRP levels between groups of patients with and without a history of myocardial infarction (2.65 (2.08-3.36) mg/l and 3.18 (2.54-3.98) mg/l, P = 0.266) respectively. There was no correlation between the classification of angina pectoris and the logarithm of CRP level (P = 0.331). This relationship was not confirmed even in the group of patients with significant coronary artery disease (P = 0.693).
Conclusions: CRP level is not related to the extent or the presence of coronary atherosclerosis assessed by coronary angiography, history of myocardial infarction or class of stable angina pectoris in patients referred for coronary angiography for stable angina pectoris or a pathological exercise test.