Relationship between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and carotid intima-media thickness in patients with essential hypertension complicated with cerebral infarction

Objective: To investigate the relationship between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein( hs-CRP) and carotid intima-media thickness( IMT) in patients with essential hypertension( EH) complicated with cerebral infarction. Methods: Twenty five patients with EH complicated with cerebral infarction( ECI group),22 patients with EH( EH group) and 20 healthy people( control group) were selected. The levels of serum hs-CRP,triglyceride,low-density lipoprotein,fasting blood glucose and carotid IMT in three groups were detected. Results: The differences of age,sex,smoking history,levels of triglyceride,low density lipoprotein and fasting blood glucose in three groups had no statistical significance( P 0. 05). The levels of hs-CRP and carotid IMT of the ECI group were significantly higher than those in control and EH group( P 0. 05 to P 0. 01),the levels of hs-CRP and carotid IMT of the EH group were significantly higher than those in control group( P 0. 05 and P 0. 01). In EH group,the level of hs-CRP in patients with increasing carotid IMT was significantly higher than that in patients with normal carotid IMT,the level of carotid IMT was positively correlated with hs-CRP( P 0. 01). The multiple regression analysis showed that carotid IMT was correlated with age and hs-CRP,the regression equation was Y∧IMT= 0. 319 + 0. 064X hs-CRP+ 0. 008X age. Conclusions: hs-CRP may affect the pathogenesis and development of cerebral infarction in ECI patients by promoting the carotid atherosclerosis.