Correlation of High Sensitive C-Reactive Protein with the Extent of Coronary Atherosclerotic Disease

Background and objectives: The inflammatory process of the intima of coronary vessels is significant in the atherosclerotic process. We aimed to evaluate the role of high sensitive C-reactive protein in diagnosing and prognosis of ischemic heart disease and atherosclerosis. Methods: From 2021-2022, we randomly enrolled 100 patients referred to surgical specialty hospital/ cardiac center in Erbil City (Jan 2021- Jan 2022) for angiography complaining of a chronic coronary syndrome. Blood sampling was taken to measure (high sensitive C-reactive protein). Coronary artery angiography was done, and the extent of atherosclerosis was measured using the Syntax score and clinical syntax score using the calculator from internet site www.syntaxscore.org. Results: We enrolled 58 males and 42 females; 39% of patients had Diabetes mellitus, 49% had hypertension, 41% were smoker, 18% with peripheral arterial disease, 8% had chronic obstructive disease, and 3% with left primary illness. The study showed a highly significant linear correlation between high sensitive C-reactive protein and syntax score of 15±10.52 and clinical syntax score 26.68±12.17. Conclusion: The study concluded that a high sensitive C-reactive protein level is a reliable method to independently predict coronary artery disease in ischemic heart disease patients and the extent of severity; these results were not affected by sex category and other risk factors like diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or smoking.