Intravascular ultrasound evaluation of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in unstable angina patients

AIM: To evaluate high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in unstable angina patients using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). METHODS: Thirty-eight patients suspected of having coronary heart disease (CHD) underwent coronary angiography and IVUS examinations. Eight patients without significant coronary artery stenosis were assigned to the control group and 30 patients with significant coronary artery stenosis were assigned to the CHD group including unstable angina pectoris (UAP, 18 cases) and stable angina group (SAP, 12 cases). Serum hsCRP concentrations were detected in all patients. RESULTS: Endothelial thickening of varying degrees was observed in all 38 patients. IVUS showed atherosclerotic plaques of different types in the 30 patients in the CHD group but no atherosclerotic plaques in the control group. hsCRP in UAP cases was significantly higher than in SAP patients and in control group. Levels of hsCRP in unstable plaques were higher than those in stable plaques. CONCLUSION: Serum hsCRP is significantly higher in patients with UAP, indicating that increasing levels of hsCRP are correlated with unstable plaques of UAP patients.