Association of C-Reactive Protein with the Extent of Angiographically Verified Coronary Artery Disease

A growing body of evidence suggests that atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory process. The aim of this cross sectional investigation was to explore relationship between C - reactive protein (CRP) and severity of coronary artery occlusion (CAO).

Patients with stable CAD but without left main artery lesion (n=165) were recruited from Talaghani hospital, Urmia University of Medical Sciences. Angiographic examination revealed 36 individuals with minimal CAO, 41 with one CAO, 41 with two CAO and 47 with three CAO. CRP was determined by high sensitive ELISA. All statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS statistical software (version 13.0).

Significant difference (p=0.007) was seen between CRP levels of minimal (1.2±1.2mg/l), 1VD (1.07±1.3 mg/l), 2VD (0.8±0.9 mg/l), and 3VD (1.8±1.7 mg/l) group.

CRP constitutes a useful marker of CAD severity among patients with stable angina pectoris.