Differences in C-reactive Protein Level in Patients with Alzheimers Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment

Abstract

Background: Numerous studies are supporting the hypothesis that neuroinflammation may play an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Reports on increased serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration as a risk factor for AD are conflicting. We examined the differences in the serum CRP levels in patients with AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and normal controls. Methods: We enrolled 56 subjects with AD, 29 subjects with MCI, and 24 healthy control subjects in the study. A total of 109 subjects agreed to blood sampling to evaluate serum CRP levels. A dementia screening test was performed using the Korean version of the Mini-Mental Status Examination. Inclusion criteria for MCI used the Petersen guidelines Results: Among AD, MCI, and control groups, there were no significant differences in serum CRP levels. There was no association between CRP levels and MMSE scores in AD and MCI groups. Also CRP level did not significantly correlated with age or level of education. Conclusion: We observed no significant association between serum CRP values and the diagnosis of MCI and AD. Further longitudinal studies involving larger study population are needed to clarify possible role of CRP in the pathogenesis of this disease.