Value of High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein in Low Risk Chest Pain Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Diercks Deborah B, Kirk J Douglas, Naser Seif, Turnipseed Samuel, Amsterdam Ezra A
Primary Institution: University of California, Davis Medical Center
Hypothesis
Can high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) help identify acute coronary syndrome in low-risk chest pain patients?
Conclusion
Measuring hs-CRP did not improve the ability to diagnose acute coronary syndrome in low-risk patients.
Supporting Evidence
- The study included 918 patients who underwent hs-CRP testing.
- Acute coronary syndrome was diagnosed in 128 patients (13.4%).
- The median hs-CRP value was 2.2 mg/l in patients with ACS.
Takeaway
Doctors checked a blood test called hs-CRP to see if it could help find heart problems in patients with chest pain, but it didn't really help.
Methodology
Retrospective study of patients admitted to a chest pain unit who underwent hs-CRP testing.
Potential Biases
Physicians were not blinded to hs-CRP results, which could have influenced treatment decisions.
Limitations
The study was retrospective, and not all patients underwent confirmatory testing, which may have underestimated the incidence of acute coronary syndrome.
Participant Demographics
The cohort included 478 women (52%) and 441 men (48%) with a median age of 56 years.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
0.98 - 1.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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