Effect of ischemic reversal program on high-Sensitivity C-reactive protein in patients of coronary heart disease: An observational study

Background: Chronic inflammation leads to rupture of atherosclerotic plaque, ultimately causing acute coronary syndromes. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is an inflammatory biomarker which is known to predict cardiovascular events in ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients. Ischemic reversal program (IRP) has been found to improve exercise capacity of IHD patients but action on hsCRP is unknown.Methodology: This retrospective study was conducted between July 2018 and December 2018, for evaluating the effect of IRP on hsCRP levels in IHD patients. The data of only those patients were considered who had been given the IRP-based treatment for a minimum of five sittings. The mean serum hsCRP at day 30 of treatment initiation was compared with day 1 values. The association between the comorbidities with decrease in the hsCRP levels was assessed by calculating odds ratio (OR) using regression analysis. Results: Of the 78 enrolled IHD patients, 54 were male with a mean age of 59.94 ± 9.46 years. The mean hsCRP levels at day 30 of the treatment initiation were significantly lower than day 1 values (2.01 ± 2.15 vs. 2.83 ± 3.07 mg/L, P < 0.05). The OR for the decrease in the hsCRP levels in IRP-treated IHD patients having comorbidities such as hypertension and myocardial infarction were insignificant; however, the OR with diabetes was significantly < 1 (OR: 0.35, P < 0.05). Conclusion: IRP treatment leads to a significant decrease in the serum hsCRP levels in majority of the IHD patients, indicating an additional anti-inflammatory action.