HIGH SENSITIVITY C-REACTIVE PROTEIN MAY BE A BIOMARKER FOR PREDICTING CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS WITH OSA: A COHORT STUDY

Abstract

Objective: Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The association of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) with vascular disease (VD) events are less studied among the hypertensive patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We determined whether the infammatory marker, hsCRP, could be a useful prognostic biomarker. Design and method: The participants were from a population with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) results and OSA in UROSAH from 2011 to 2013, and were followed up until 2021. Outcome events include CVD and CVD related deaths. Analyzing the relationship between continuity, classification of hsCRP and cardiovascular events using cox regression analysis. The dose-response relationship between hsCRP and the probability of cardiovascular disease occurrence calculated using restricted spline regression Results: In total, we enrolled 2340 patients, with 68.6% men, mean age of 48 years and BMI of 28.08 kg/m2. During a follow-up period of 6.58 years, a total of 228 cardiac events occurred, including 18 cardiovascular deaths; And 138 cerebrovascular events, including 7 cerebrovascular related deaths. Compared to the first quartile, the third quartile has a higher risk of the CVD composite event (HR=1.54, 95%: 1.14 - 2.08, P=0.005) after adjusting for confounders. A similar tendency was observed for fatal or nonfatal stroke (HR=1.76, 95%: 1.07 - 2.90, P=0.027). Dose-response relationship between hsCRP and the probability of CVD composite event show that the cut-off value is 2.18, the same results were also observed in all factor adjustment. Conclusions: hsCRP may be a biomarker predicting an increased risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in hypertensive patients with OSA. When hsCRP is greater than 2.18, the probability of CVD events in hypertension increases, requiring timely attention and treatment by clinical physicians.