Interactions among gender, age, hypertension and C-reactive protein in coronary vasospasm.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Coronary vasospasm (CVsp) has been reported to be an inflammatory disease, reflected by elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). We investigated the interactions among gender, age, hypertension and hs-CRP in patients with CVsp.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

We retrospectively examined 722 Taiwanese patients with or without CVsp during an 8-year period. None of the patients had obstructive coronary artery disease. Serum hs-CRP levels were examined in a subset of 375 patients to evaluate the interactions of hs-CRP with gender, age, smoking and hypertension in the development of CVsp.

RESULTS:

In women, only the highest hs-CRP tertile (> 3 mg L⁻¹) was independently associated with CVsp. In men, age > 58 years and the highest hs-CRP tertile were independently associated with CVsp. In women, elevated risk was only demonstrated in patients ≤ 58 years of age with hs-CRP levels in the highest tertile. In men, a positively monotonic trend was demonstrated between hs-CRP levels and CVsp in those > 58 years of age. The odds ratios of CVsp in both women and men with hs-CRP in the highest tertile reduced from 6·01 to 1·48 and 6·35-2·69 respectively, if they had hypertension.

CONCLUSION:

The relationship between hs-CRP and CVsp differed between men and women. Our findings that there is a non-threshold model in men and a threshold model in women provide evidence that more smokers in men (life-style) and age (induction time) contribute to the natural history of CVsp development. The negative effect of hypertension on CVsp suggests that the pathogenesis of CVsp differs from that of coronary atherosclerosis.

• Authors: Ming-Yow Hung, Kuang-Hung Hsu, Ming-Jui Hung, Chi-Wen Cheng, Wen-Jin Cherng
• Journal: European journal of clinical investigation (Eur J Clin Invest) Vol. 40 Issue 12 Pg. 1094-103 (Dec 2010) ISSN: 1365-2362 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 20718850 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2010 The Authors. European Journal of Clinical Investigation © 2010 Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation.

Chemical References

• C-Reactive Protein

Topics

• Age Factors
• C-Reactive Protein (metabolism)
• Coronary Vasospasm (blood, epidemiology, physiopathology)
• Female
• Humans
• Hypertension (epidemiology)
• Male
• Models, Biological
• Retrospective Studies
• Risk Factors
• Sex Factors
• Smoking (adverse effects)
• Taiwan (epidemiology)