The Prognostic Value of hsCRP in CVD/CKD Among East Asian Population

Background

Systemic inflammation marked by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) significantly influences cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression, yet its prognostic value in the East Asian population remains unclear.

Objectives

This scoping review evaluates the prognostic value of hsCRP for CVD and CKD within these populations.

Methods

We conducted electronic searches in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. English studies published before January 9, 2024, related to hsCRP and CVD/CKD in East Asian population were included (Protocol pre-registration number: INPLASY202490133).

Results

A total of 117 studies compared hsCRP levels between CVD/CKD patients and population without CVD/CKD; 30 studies explored the relationship between hsCRP level and CVD/CKD incident, and 125 studies focused on the association between hsCRP level and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in CVD/CKD patients. Overall, 92.7% (n = 102 of 110) of studies indicated that hsCRP levels in CVD patients were significantly higher than those in population without CVD, with all studies on CKD patients reporting elevated hsCRP levels. Additionally, 75% (n = 21 of 28) of studies found an association between elevated hsCRP level and increased risk of CVD, as did both studies focusing on CKD. Regarding prognosis, 73.3% (n = 77 of 105) of studies linked higher hsCRP to MACE in atherosclerotic CVD patients, 68.8% (n = 11 of 16) in heart failure patients, and 62.5% (n = 5 of 8) in CKD patients. Notably, hsCRP cutoff values were highly heterogeneous, but mainly ranged from 1 to 3 mg/L.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that elevated hsCRP levels are associated with increased risk of CVD/CKD and MACE. Well-designed, large-scale prospective studies and subsequent meta-analyses are warranted to further validate these associations.