C-Reactive Proteins and Cardiovascular Risk Indices in Hypertensive Nigerians.

C-reactive protein (CRP), a biomarker of inflammation, has been found to play a role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease and its determination has been proposed as one method of improving the prediction of the risk of cardiovascular events. CRP was determined in 150 hypertensive patients aged 30-59 years and 30 apparently healthy normotensive individuals matched for age and socioeconomic status by ELISA technique. Atherogenic index (LDL-C/HDL-C) and coronary heart disease risk (HDL-C/TC) were also calculated from the lipid profile. Among the hypertensive patients, only 1 (1.2%) female had a dangerous coronary heart disease risk, while 14 (9.3%) (6 males and 8 females) were at high risk of CHD and only 16 (10.7%) (11 males and 5 females) had probable protection against CHD. Hypertensive patients were significantly (p < 0.05) heavier than the normotensive patients (28.34 ± 4.40kg/m vs. 25.79 ± 2.91kg/m), with significantly higher atherogenic indices and CRP. Among the hypertensive patients, CRP positively correlated with atherogenic index (r = 0.551, p < 0.05) and CHD risk (r = 0.589, p < 0.05). However, in normotensive patients, CRP was positively correlated with atherogenic index (r = 0.492, p < 0.01) but negatively correlated with CHD risk (r = -0.475, p < 0.01). In conclusion, hypertensive Nigerians have significantly higher CRP than their normotensive counterparts, which correlates with CHD risk.