Background: Hypertension is an important worldwide public-health challenge because of its high frequency and concomitant risks of cardiovascular and kidney disease. Due to its high mortality and morbidity early diagnosis and effective prevention is important. C-reactive protein (CRP), one of the hepatic acute phase reactants, has been associated with decreased endothelium-dependent relaxation, a potential risk factor for hypertension. However, the relationship between CRP and hypertension has not been well elucidated.

Methodology & Patients: The purpose of the study was to analyze the correlation between plasma hsCRP and lipid profile in pre-hypertensive as well as hypertensive in Indian patients, attending Diabetic clinic at Index Hospital, Indore and normal control subjects from within campus and surrounding areas. A total of 150 in which 50 newly diagnosed hypertensives (age and sex matched), 50 pre-hypertensives (age and sex matched) and 50 normo-tensive healthy subjects (age and sex matched) were selected for the study.

Results: On applying Pearson correlation no significant p value was seen on comparing SBP and DBP with hsCRP and lipid profile parameters in prehypertensive subjects. On comparing hsCRP with individual lipid profile parameters in pre-hypertensive subjects, significant correlation was found only between hsCRP and TG levels (P=0.020).

Conclusion: hsCRP values are highest among the pre-hypertensive subjects as compared to normal and hypertensive subjects. Thus it signifies its role as marker of chronic inflammatory process involved in evolution of hypertension. Hypertensive subjects have significantly higher hsCRP level as compared to normal healthy subjects. Thus high hsCRP levels support the hypothesis of chronic inflammation underlying the pathogenesis of hypertension. Our results suggest a correlation exists between hsCRP and hypertension more significantly with prehypertension. So estimation of serum hsCRP can be a good diagnostic as well as prognostic marker in diagnosing prehypertensives and prevent the occurance of hypertension and cardio vascular disorders thereby.

Keywords: Hypertension, Pre-hypertension, Inflmmation, hsCRP, Risk, Cardiovascular morbidity.

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Dr Sachin Mishra

Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology,

Index Medical College Hospital & Research Centre, Indore, M.P. 452016

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