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Circulation. 2004;109:1955-1959
Published online before print March 29, 2004, doi: 10.1161/01.CIR.0000125690.80303.A8
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(Circulation. 2004;109:1955-1959.)
© 2004 American Heart Association, Inc.


Clinical Investigation and Reports

Clinical Usefulness of Very High and Very Low Levels of C-Reactive Protein Across the Full Range of Framingham Risk Scores

Paul M Ridker, MD, MPH; Nancy Cook, ScD

From the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Cardiovascular Research and the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.

Correspondence to Dr Paul Ridker, Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, 900 Commonwealth Ave East, Boston, MA 02215. E-mail pridker{at}partners.org

Received December 15, 2003; revision received February 3, 2004; accepted February 3, 2004.

Background— High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is a strong independent risk factor for cardiovascular events, and levels of hsCRP of <1, 1 to <3, and >=3 mg/L have been suggested to define low-, moderate-, and high-risk groups. However, the positive predictive value of very low (<0.5 mg/L) and very high levels of hsCRP (>10.0 mg/L) is uncertain.

Methods and Results— Baseline levels of hsCRP were evaluated among 27 939 apparently healthy women who were followed up for myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization, or cardiovascular death. Crude and Framingham Risk Score (FRS)–adjusted relative risks (RRs) of incident cardiovascular events were calculated across a full range of hsCRP levels. Cardiovascular risks increased linearly from the very lowest (referent) to the very highest levels of hsCRP. Crude RRs for those with baseline hsCRP levels of <0.5, 0.5 to <1.0, 1.0 to <2.0, 2.0 to <3.0, 3.0 to <4.0, 4.0 to <5.0, 5.0 to <10.0, 10.0 to <20.0, and >=20.0 mg/L were 1.0, 2.2, 2.5, 3.1, 3.7, 4.2, 4.9, 6.3, and 7.6, respectively (P for trend <0.001). After adjustment for FRS, these risks were 1.0, 1.6, 1.6, 1.7, 1.9, 2.2, 2.3, 2.8, and 3.1 (P for trend <0.001). All risk estimates remained significant in analyses stratified by FRS and after control for diabetes. Of the total cohort, 15.1% had hsCRP <0.50 mg/L, and 5.4% had hsCRP >10.0 mg/L.

Conclusions— Both very low (<0.5 mg/L) and very high (>10 mg/L) levels of hsCRP provide important prognostic information on cardiovascular risk. hsCRP is clinically useful for risk prediction across a full range of values and across a full range of FRS.


Key Words: risk factors • prevention • epidemiology • inflammation • C-reactive protein




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