@article {997, title = {Clinical factors, but not C-reactive protein, predict progression of calcific aortic-valve disease: the Cardiovascular Health Study.}, journal = {J Am Coll Cardiol}, volume = {50}, year = {2007}, month = {2007 Nov 13}, pages = {1992-8}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between C-reactive protein (CRP) and calcific aortic valve disease in a large, randomly selected, population-based cohort.

BACKGROUND: The pathobiology of calcific aortic stenosis involves an active inflammatory, atheromatous, osteogenic process. Elevations in CRP, a measure of systemic inflammation, have been associated with aortic stenosis.

METHODS: Two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography and CRP measurement were performed at baseline in 5,621 participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Multivariable analysis was used to identify CRP as a predictor of baseline and incident aortic stenosis.

RESULTS: At a mean echocardiographic follow-up of 5 years, 9\% of subjects with aortic sclerosis progressed to some degree of aortic stenosis. Increasing age (odds ratio [OR] 1.13, 95\% confidence interval [CI] 1.09 to 1.16; p < 0.001) and male gender (OR 3.05, 95\% CI 1.76 to 5.27; p < 0.001) were related to risk of incident aortic stenosis, whereas increasing height (OR 0.96, 95\% CI 0.94 to 0.99; p = 0.013) and African-American ethnicity conveyed a lower risk (OR 0.49, 95\% CI 0.25 to 0.95; p = 0.035). C-reactive protein, treated as a continuous variable, was not associated with baseline aortic stenosis, progression to aortic sclerosis (adjusted OR 0.93, 95\% CI 0.85 to 1.02; p = 0.107), or progression to aortic stenosis (adjusted OR 0.85, 95\% CI 0.70 to 1.03; p = 0.092).

CONCLUSIONS: In this large population-based cohort, approximately 9\% of subjects with aortic sclerosis progressed to aortic stenosis over a 5-year follow-up period. There was no association between CRP levels and the presence of calcific aortic-valve disease or incident aortic stenosis. C-reactive protein appears to be a poor predictor of subclinical calcific aortic-valve disease.

}, keywords = {Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aortic Valve, Aortic Valve Stenosis, C-Reactive Protein, Calcinosis, Cardiovascular Diseases, Cohort Studies, Disease Progression, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Heart Valve Diseases, Humans, Male, Risk Factors}, issn = {1558-3597}, doi = {10.1016/j.jacc.2007.07.064}, author = {Novaro, Gian M and Katz, Ronit and Aviles, Ronnier J and Gottdiener, John S and Cushman, Mary and Psaty, Bruce M and Otto, Catherine M and Griffin, Brian P} }