AIM

To investigate the association between serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and coronary collateral circulation (CCC) in Chinese patients with angiography-proven ≥95% coronary stenosis.

METHODS

In this study, 1158 patients with angiography-proven ≥95% occlusion in ≥1 major epicardial coronary artery were enrolled, and then classified into two groups: poor CCC (Rentrop grades 0-1) and good CCC (Rentrop grades 2-3). CRP levels were grouped using the following two models: Model 1 discretized CRP group with 33.33% and 66.66% as the critical values and Model 2 with 1.0 and 3.0 mg/L as the cut off values.

RESULTS

There were significant differences in serum CRP levels between the two groups (5.76 ± 3.45 vs. 3.49 ± 2.44 mg/L, respectively; p < 0.001), and compared with the first CRP tertile, the risks of poor CCC were higher in the second and third CRP tertiles (OR 2.31, 95%CI [1.67-3.19], OR 6.25, 95%CI [4.52-8.62], respectively). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that the optimal cutoff value of CRP to predict poor CCC was 4.21 mg/L with 59.6% sensitivity and 74.33% specificity.

CONCLUSIONS

CRP levels are an independent predictor for poor CCC and might supply a useful biomarker in clinical applications. Key messages C-reactive protein (CRP) is a non-specific inflammatory marker that is regarded as an independent risk and prognostic factor for individuals who suffer from coronary artery disease (CAD) and cardiovascular disorders. In a Chinese cohort of patients with coronary artery occlusion or stenosis of ≥95% TIMI grade 1 anterograde-flow, the relationship between CRP concentrations and angiographically visible coronary collateral (CC) was assessed. Our data indicated that elevated CRP associated with a significant impairment in CC development, and might supply a useful biomarker in clinical applications.