High-sensitivity C-reactive protein is predictive of medium-term cardiac outcome in high-risk Asian patients presenting with chest pain syndrome without myocardial infarction.

INTRODUCTION: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) has been shown to be predictive of cardiac events but data among Asians is comparatively few. We evaluated the role of hs-CRP in the prediction of adverse cardiac outcome in a cohort of high-risk patients presenting with chest pain syndrome without myocardial infarction (MI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three hundred and forty-seven patients were prospectively recruited over an 18-month period and patients with MI as documented by serial electrocardiogram abnormalities, and creatinine kinase or troponin elevation were excluded. Mean follow-up duration was 901 +/- 306 days. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards modelling were used to evaluate outcome and determine association with predictor variables.

RESULTS: The composite primary endpoint of cardiac mortality, non-fatal MI, cardiac failure or coronary revascularisation procedure (coronary artery bypass grafting or angioplasty) unrelated to the index admission was reached in 37 patients. History of previous MI (P = 0.002), presence of at least 1 coronary artery with > or =50% stenosis (P = 0.028) and elevated hs-CRP levels were associated with an adverse cardiac outcome (P = 0.001 for CRP in the upper quartile, and 0.002 for CRP > or = 1mg/L, respectively). None of the traditional cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, significant family history, smoking, male gender and increased age) was predictive. Multivariate modelling showed elevated hs-CRP to confer the highest risk for an adverse cardiac outcome (P <0.001).

CONCLUSION: Hs-CRP is useful in further stratifying high-risk multi-ethnic patients presenting with chest pain despite no evidence of MI. Close follow-up and aggressive management of these patients may be warranted.