HIGH SENSITIVITY C-REACTIVE PROTEIN IN CHRONIC RENAL FAILURE WITH AND WITHOUT CARDIOVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS

Dr. Jawahar Subbiah, MD and *Dr. A. Ravi, MD

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Chronic renal failure patients are at greater risk of cardiovascular disease. Higher than expected cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in this population has been attributed to dyslipidaemia as well as inflammation. The causes of inflammation in chronic renal failure patients are multifactorial. Several markers were used for the detection of inflammatory reaction in patients with chronic renal disease. These markers can be used for the prediction of future cardiovascular events. Among the several parameters of inflammatory markers, serum, CRP is well known and its advantages for the detection of inflammation and its predictor ability has been evaluated in several studies. Materials and methodology: This work was done in department of Medicine at Government Rajaji Hospital, attached to the Madurai Medical College, Madurai in collaboration with departments of Nephrology and Cardiology. It is a cross sectional and analytical study. 42 newly detected CRF patients were included in the study along with 10 controls (normal individuals) and rest were cases which are newly detected CRF who satisfied the inclusion criteria were selected for the study. Patients with elevated blood urea levels, elevated serum Creatinine levels and Ultrasound abdomen showing medical renal disease were included in study. Results and Conclusion: The hs-CRP levels among CRF patients was independent of age, gender or serum creatinine levels. The hs-CRP levels was significantly elevated in CRF patients when compared to healthy controls. The hs-CRP levels were elevated significantly in those CRF patients with cardiovascular complications when compared with those without cardiovascular complications there by indicating that elevated hs-CRP is a marker of development of cardiovascular morbidity. The present study has brought out an association between elevated hs-CRP and degree of albuminuria, haemoglobin levels as well as cardiovascular morbidity. CRF patients with elevated hs-CRP should be adequately counselled regarding their proneness to develop cardiovascular complications.

Keywords: Chronic renal failure, hs-CRP, Cardiovascular diseases.