High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein: Could it be used as a Cardiovascular Risk Predictor in Hemodialysis Patients?

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to investigate the correlation between the chronic renal failure (CRF) and cardiovascular risk in hemodialysis (HD) patients according to the serum high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Methods: A hundred patients were divided into two groups. In the first group, there were 50 patients (20 females, 30 males) who receive hemodialysis (HD) due to CRF. In the second group, which is arranged as a control group, there were 50 patients (22 female, 28 male) having a cardiovascular risk, but without CRF. CRP values were determined in both groups. Results: The average duration of dialysis patients is 38.85±36.66 months. Average hs-CRP values were determined as 19.086 mg/L (First year HD), 23.280 mg/L (Second year HD), 19.367 mg/L (Third year HD), 23.350 mg/L (Fourth year HD), 26.970 mg/L (Five and more years HD), 3.178 mg/L (non-CRF, non-revascularisation), 14.386 mg/L (non-CRF, revascularization)(Table 2). The hs-CRP values were increasing with years of HD, except the third year of HD. In the third year HD patients, hs-CRP levels revealed a slight decrease. Conclusion: The high level of hs-CRP indicates who may be at risk for coronary incident. Elevated serum CRP levels are associated with other atherosclerotic vascular diseases in HD patients. In recent years, various studies have shown that the high levels of CRP in HD patients become a strong determinant of mortality and morbidity. High levels of hs-CRP in CRF patients should be evaluated as an indication of a rapid onset of a coronary artery disease.