Correlations Between the Level of High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Korean Adults with Cardiovascular Disease or Diabetes Mellitus: The CALLISTO Study

Aim: We assessed the relationship between the level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and cardiovascular risk factors in Korean adults. Methods: We reviewed 1,561 patients with cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus with hsCRP levels measured within the past year. Four cardiovascular risk groups were determined: low (20%) risk, according to the number of risk factors and the Framingham/NCEP ATP III risk score. The correlations between the hsCRP level and cardiovascular risk factors (age, smoking, hypertension, lipid profiles and familial history of premature coronary heart disease) were investigated. Results: The mean and median hsCRP (mg/L) levels were 1.32±9.69 and 0.29 (range: 0.01-7.48), respectively. Men had a higher median level of hsCRP than women (p