S. Fichtlscherer et Am. Zeiher, Endothelial dysfunction in acute coronary syndromes: association with elevated C-reactive protein levels, ANN MED, 32(8), 2000, pp. 515-518
Citations number
31
Categorie Soggetti
General & Internal Medicine","Medical Research General Topics
Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) serum level, which is an exquisitely sens
itive, objective marker of inflammation, relates to long-term prognosis in
patients with stable or unstable coronary artery disease and even in appare
ntly healthy men. CRP is the prototypical, classic acute-phase reactant syn
thesized in the liver. Several studies have recently shown that elevated CR
P levels are associated with a blunted systemic endothelial vasodilator fun
ction, indicative of a systemic inflammatory response. Moreover, the identi
fication of elevated CRP levels as a transient independent risk factor for
endothelial dysfunction might provide an important clue to link a systemic
marker of inflammation to atherosclerotic disease progression. This editori
al addresses the role of C-reactive protein in endothelial dysfunction.