REFERENCE VALUE FOR HIGH-SENSITIVITY C-REACTIVE PROTEIN IN THE NORTHERN PAKISTANI POPULATION

High Sensitivity of C-reactive Protein

Abstract

Objective: High- sensitivity C - reactive protein (hS-CRP) is an acute phase protein that is often used for the risk estimation of cardiovascular diseases. Objective was to find out the reference range of hS-CRP in the healthy adult northern Pakistani population and compare the distribution in relation with age, gender, body mass index (BMI), ethnicity and smoking.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study

Place and Duration of Study: Army Medical College Rawalpindi from Nov 2007 - Mar 2009

Subjects and Methods: In this cross-sectional study a total of 297 healthy adults (>18 years) comprising 207 males, 90 females, Punjabis (n=178) and Pathans (n=119) were randomly included from Rawalpindi, Lahore, Peshawar and Sawabi Districts. History and clinical examination were carried out. Serum hS-CRP was analysed in Clinical Pathology Laboratory, Army Medical College Rawalpindi by two site sequential chemiluminiscent immunometric assay kit on immulite 1000(USA). Data were analysed by SPSS-16.

Results: The reference values for hS-CRP are presented as median (2.5th-97.5th percentile). In the healthy adult population of Northern Pakistan it was 1.84 mg/L (0.37-4.81) mg/l; in Punjabis 1.75 (0.30-4.65) mg/l and in Pathans 1.93 (0.50-5.30) mg/l. Females had higher hS-CRP levels 2.05 (0.53-5.66) mg/l as compared to the males1.76 (0.31-5.06) mg/l. Smokers had relatively higher hS-CRP 1.98 mg/l (0.47-5.56) mg/l than non-smokers 1.68 mg/l (0.30-4.60). Our data also revealed that hS-CRP had significant positive correlation with advancing age (r=0.20; p <0.05) and increasing BMI (r=0.29; p <0.01).

Conclusion: The reference range for hS-CRP in the population of Northern Pakistan is 0.37-4.81 mg/l. Pathans have higher hS-CRP levels than Punjabis. Demographic factors including age and BMI were positively correlated to the distribution of hS-CRP.