Prognostic value of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in a population of post-acute coronary syndrome patients receiving optimal medical treatment.

Background: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) has been reported to have a prognostic value immediately after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and to be associated with the onset of cardiovascular (CV) events in patients with stable and unstable angina pectoris.

Aim: To evaluate whether or not hsCRP levels can be used to predict future CV events in a prospective study of post-ACS patients receiving an optimized medical treatment (OMT) secondary-prevention regimen.

Methods: OMT along with therapeutic and dietary education programmes were started during the acute phase, then monitored and adjusted as needed at 3 months post ACS. hsCRP was measured at 3 months after the ACS, and a global evaluation of atherosclerosis burden and risk factors were also evaluated at this time point. The study population was divided into tertiles based on their hsCRP value and followed for CV events.

Results: A total of 1202 consecutive patients with hsCRP <15 mg/l were included in the study, 795 of which were followed for an average of 22 months. LDL-cholesterol, HbA(1c), waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, tobacco consumption, and atherosclerosis burden were higher in patients in the second and third tertile of hsCRP (p < 0.001) than those in the first tertile, at 3 months. hsCRP level was not found to be associated with recurrence of total CV events (HR 1.29, CI 0.83-2.00) in univariate analysis. We further examined the effect of adding hsCRP levels to the Framingham risk evaluation score, and found no significant improvement the C-statistics of the Framingham risk evaluation score.

Conclusion: hsCRP is associated with CV risk factors, but is not an independent predictor of future events in post-ACS patients receiving an OMT secondary-prevention regimen.