C-reactive protein is increased in patients with degenerative aortic valvular stenosis

OBJECTIVES The goal of this study was to assess the presence of systemic in flammation in degenerative aortic valvular stenosis. BACKGROUND Local inflammatory changes, resembling those observed in atheros clerosis, have been recently reported in degenerative aortic valvular steno sis. It is presently unknown whether systemic signs of inflammation, simila r to those observed in atherosclerosis, may be present in this disorder. METHODS C-reactive protein (CRP) was measured by enzyme immunoassay in 141 subjects: 62 with trileaflet degenerative valvular aortic stenosis and 79 v olunteers with similar demographic and clinical characteristics. IgG antibo dies. against Helicobacter pylori (enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay) and C hlamydia pneumoniae (microimmunofluorescence assay) were also measured. RESULTS C-reactive protein levels (mg/dl, mean +/- SD) were 0.848 +/- 1.42 in patients and 0.394 +/- 0.50 in controls (p = 0.0001, Mann-Whitney U test ). Seroprevalence of H. Mori was 68.7% in patients and 79.7% in controls (p = NS), whereas seroprevalence of C. pneumoniae infection was higher in pat ients than it was in controls (59.7% vs. 33%, p = 0.003; chi-square test). After adjustment for various covariates in multiple logistic regression, th e odds ratio for degenerative aortic stenosis was 3.41 for C. pneumoniae in fection (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.60 to 7.30) and 2.76 for CRP (95% Cl: 1.08 to 7.05). There was no significant difference in patients or cont rols in CRP-levels according to the serostatus for C pneumoniae. CONCLUSIONS Systemic signs of inflammation, similar to those found in ather osclerosis, are present in patients with degenerative aortic valve stenosis . They do not seem to be linked to C pneumoniae or H. pylori infection. (C) 2001 by the American College of Cardiology.