C-reactive protein elevation and disease activity in patients with coronary artery disease

Abstract

CRP levels predict future cardiovascular events independently of CAD severity and correlate with number of angiographically complex coronary artery stenosis in patients with ACS. Thus, CRP levels are a marker of atheromatous plaque vulnerability and CAD activity.

Early inflammatory cytokine response: A direct comparison between spontaneous coronary plaque destabilization vs angioplasty induced

“…Even in the absence of myocardial necrosis, however, the mere presence of an unstable plaque may be associated with higher circulating levels of inflammatory markers [14]. A ruptured plaque may be the responsible for the release of inflammatory cytokines to the coronary system [15].…”

Plasma C-Reactive Protein and 5-Lipoxygenase-Activating Protein Gene Promoter Poly-A Polymorphism in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

“…Possibly, an elevated hsCRP might represent a more diffuse coronary atherosclerosis with a higher plaque burden. On the other hand, hsCRP was noted to correlate with the number of angiographically complex arterial stenoses and suggested to be a marker of plaque vulnerability and CAD activity [8]. However, no association of hsCRP with the number of stenotic vessels and the extent score was reported by Azar et al [14] in 98 patients, by Auer et al [15] in 100 patients, by Vesela et al [16] in 200 patients and by Hoffmeister at el.…”

“…Elevated hsCRP levels have also been reported to be associated with an increased risk of further coronary events and rapid disease progression in patients with CAD [5,6,7]. It is suggested that hsCRP levels are a marker of CAD activity and atheromatous plaque vulnerability [8]. Plasma hsCRP can also be used to identify high-risk patients with CAD for appropriate therapies [9].…”

“…However, the association between the plasma hsCRP levels and the extent of coronary stenosis in patients with CAD remains controversial. Some studies demonstrated such associations [5,10,11,12,13], in contrast to others [8,14,15,16,17]. After excluding patients with statin therapy, plasma hsCRP was found to be associated with the presence and extent of CAD in Japanese patients with stable angina [13].…”

Early and late determinants of C-reactive protein release in patients with acute coronary syndrome

“…Atherosclerotic burden, expressed in terms of number of coronary vessels involved by severe atherosclerosis [17], but also and more significantly in terms of number of ruptured plaques [18] seem to act as powerful stimuli for the inflammatory response represented by CRP release. Coronary plaque instability [19,20] or stenting due plaque instabilization have been reported as associated with increased CRP levels [21].…”