C-reactive protein

[labrat]

Dear Doctor,
In regards to the previous CRP question, I have another question.

My CRP put me in the 5th quintile (per this labs' range), the "highest risk". However my TC/HDL-C ratio had me at "low risk" (my HDL=72;LDL calculated=109, triglycerides 77).

I have scleroderma with heart/lung involvement and my questions are how does one differentiate the inflammation from the autoimmune disease vs. the actual cardio CRP risk and to what extent should I be concerned regarding the CRP results?

I am being treated aggressively.

Thank you again for your response.

[wayne1776]

A related discussion, Cardio CRP 23.6 was started.

[Babs177]

A related discussion, CRP Test was started.

[Neisha]

I recently had blood work done,and my Doctor tested my cardio crp along with my cholesterol levels.My cardio crp was 27.7 and my HDL cholesterol was 92, with my LDL at 158.I recently passed a kidney stone and my Doctor wants me to repeat the blood test in 6 months.I've been told that the CRP is extremely high,should I be concerned?,and should I wait 6 months to repeat the test?

[SJM]

Could the cardio CRP level in a person's blood be a result of inflammation caused by exercise? In other words, if a person works out vigorously could this have an affect on the CRP levels, or is CRP strictly a measurement of coronary inflammation?

[LoriP713]

I also have a c-reactive protein level that puts me at high risk - 10.7.  The test was repeated and came back at 10.3.  My cholesterol level is 174 with good ADL/HDL/triglyceride levels.  I'm a 41 yr old female, non-smoker/drinker but am overweight.  I take a good multivitamin daily.  I know I need to increase my exercise/activity.  I have no cardiac related symptoms.  I do get cortisone injections for rotator cuff problems and that is what brought me to the doctor in the first place.  He ran a CRP and the lab did a cardiac CRP by mistake.  My doctor suggested that I take a baby aspirin daily and possibly Zocor.  He will give me a referral to a cardiologist at my insistance and we will take it from there.  What could be causing this high CRP level?  My mother had mitral valve replacement surgery over 20 years ago at age 55 and my father recently had triple bypass surgery at age 81.  Thank you for any response.

[CCF-M.D.-CRC]

Dear labrat,
CRP (C-reactive protein) is not a cardio-specific marker but only a general marker of inflammation.  We do know that the higher the CRP the higher the risk of cardiac events.  We don't know if different causes of the elevation (e.g. autoimmune disease vs. infection) play a role in this risk or not.  My guess is that it does not matter why the CRP is high but only that it is high.  There are no crystal balls and no way to predict for you how you will do.  All we can do is say that persons with certain characteristics that you share are at higher risk for cardiac events than persons without those characteristics.  

The fact that your HDL is high is good and is in fact a "negative" risk factor so perhaps this will help temper the high CRP.  In any case I wouldn't spend your days worrying about it as long as you are undertaking preventive measures.