Distribution of serum C-reactive protein and its association with atherosclerotic risk factors in a Japanese population - Jichi Medical School CohortStudy

The distribution of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and their associa tion with age, sex, and atherosclerotic risk factors were studied in a larg e Japanese population between 1992 and 1995, The subjects consisted of 2,27 5 males and 3,832 females aged 30 years and over. CRP was measured by nephe lometry. The distribution of CRP was highly skewed toward a lower level tha n that of previous studies and seemed to be a combination of two separate d istribution curves. The increase in CRP with age was statistically signific ant, and males had higher CRP levels than did females. Males who were curre nt smokers had higher CRP levels than did nonsmokers. Age, systolic blood p ressure, diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, fibrinogen, and body mass index were all positively associated with CRP in both sexes, while total c holesterol and blood glucose were positively related in females only. High density lipoprotein cholesterol was inversely related in both sexes. Multip le logistic regression analysis showed that sex, age, systolic pressure, hi gh density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, fibrinogen, and body mas s index were significant independent variables. In conclusion, the distribu tion of CRP among the Japanese was quite different from that among Westerne rs, although CRP levels correlated with other atherosclerotic risk factors, similar to those in Westerners.