Does High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein or Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Show a Stronger Relationship with the Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index in Healthy Community Dwellers?: the KOBE Study

Aim: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) identifies individuals at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) without an increased level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). The present study was performed to compare hs-CRP and LDL-C in association with the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) in Japanese community dwellers considered to be at low risk for atherosclerosis from their level of traditional CVD risk factors. Methods: A community-based study involving 386 healthy Japanese (261 men and 125 women) without a history of CVD and medications for hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia was performed. Multiple adjustments were performed with linear regression models to estimate the association between CAVI and hs-CRP or LDL-C levels. The participants were divided into four groups on the basis of whether they were above or below the median hs-CRP and LDL-C values, and CAVI was compared among the four groups by analysis of covariance after adjusting for confounders. Results: In multiple linear regression models, hs-CRP showed a significant positive association with CAVI; however, no clear association was observed between CAVI and LDL-C. These results were similar in the analyses among the participants with LDL-C < 140 mg/dL or hs-CRP < 1.0 mg/L. CAVI was higher in the groups with high hs-CRP than in those with low hs-CRP, irrespective of LDL-C; however, CAVI was highest in the group with high LDL-C and high hs-CRP. Conclusions: The present study suggests that hs-CRP could be a better risk factor assessor for atherosclerosis than LDL-C in individuals considered to be at low risk for atherosclerosis assessed by their traditional CVD risk factors. J Atheroscler Thromb, 2012; 19: 1027-1034.