Prospective Study of High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein as a Determinant of Mortality: Results from the MONICA/KORA Augsburg Cohort Study, 1984–1998
Why the study?
Does elevated hsCRP (>3 mg/L) predict total and cause-specific mortality in middle-aged men?
Population
3,620 middle-aged men randomly drawn from the general population in the Augsburg area (Southern Germany)
Comparison
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein >3 mg/L at… vs hsCRP <1 mg/L at baseline
Design
Cohort
Follow-up
average 7.1 years
Authors
Discussion
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Member takes
Implication
May refine mortality risk assessment in middle-aged men; leaves open whether targeting hsCRP improves outcomes.
Key Points
- To examine the prospective association between baseline high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels and total as well as cause-specific mortality in middle-aged men.
- Measured baseline hsCRP in 3,620 middle-aged men randomly selected from three general population samples (1984–1985, 1989–1990, and 1994–1995) in Augsburg, Germany.
- Followed participants for an average of 7.1 years to assess endpoints including all-cause, fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD), fatal coronary heart disease (CHD), and cancer mortality via multivariable Cox regression.
- During follow-up, 408 total deaths occurred (196 CVD, 129 CHD, 127 cancer); baseline hsCRP >3 mg/L nearly doubled all-cause mortality risk compared to hsCRP <1 mg/L (HR 1.88, 95% CI 1.41–2.52).
- Elevated hsCRP significantly predicted fatal CVD (HR 2.15, 95% CI 1.39–3.34), fatal CHD (HR 1.74, 95% CI 1.04–2.92), and cancer mortality (HR 1.65, 95% CI 1.01–2.68), whereas total and HDL cholesterol did not significantly predict all-cause mortality.
Structured PICO
Does elevated hsCRP (>3 mg/L) predict total and cause-specific mortality in middle-aged men?
P
Population
3,620 middle-aged men randomly drawn from the general population in the Augsburg area (Southern Germany)
I
Intervention
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) >3 mg/L at baseline
C
Comparator
hsCRP <1 mg/L at baseline
O
Outcome
All deaths, fatal CVD, fatal coronary heart disease (CHD) including sudden cardiac deaths, and cancer deathshard clinical
Elevated hsCRP (>3 mg/L) is a sensitive, nonspecific indicator associated with an increased risk of all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality in middle-aged men.
Cite This Study
Köenig et al. (2007) studied this question.