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LBPS 02-16 SERUM LEVELS OF HSCRP IN PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE

Objective: This study was aimed to determine the serum levels of hsCRP in heart failure patients and their associations with the ejection fraction and severity of heart failure according to the NYHA classification of Cardiac Failure. Design and Method: This was a cross sectional observational study involving a total of 80 heart failure patients admitted to the centre over a period of six months. The ejection fraction (from an echocardiogram at the time of admission) and serum levels of hsCRP were assessed in all patients. Results: The mean age of the patients enrolled in the study was 59.7Y±Y16 yrs with 43 male and 37 female. Majority of patients (50/80) had isolated systolic failure, 21 of them had both systolic and diastolic heart failure and 9 of them had isolated diastolic failure. The median value for hsCRP was 11000 ng/l (RangeY=Y0-22000 ng/L) and the mean 10318.26Y±Y6847.06 (95% CI for mean 8794.5 - 11842.0 and S.E of mean 763.4). The mean values of hsCRP in the serum were significantly higher in patients with systolic heart failure (long standing hypertension) as compared to patients with diastolic heart failure (10711.8Y±Y6425.1 ng/L as compared to 3772.6Y±Y6190.4 ng/L, pY=Y0.006) with values that weakly correlated against LVEF (rY=Y-0.34, pY=Y0.001). The values of hsCRP did not, however, significantly correlate with NYHA class even though the mean serum levels were higher in NYHA classes III and IV compared to that of NYHA classes I and II. Conclusions: Serum hsCRP levels can act as effective severity markers in heart failure, with higher values indicating more severe forms of the disease, especially in the background of long standing hypertension. In scenarios where echocardiographic facilities are not available, like in rural centres of Nepal, assessing serum hsCRP levels could potentially help better manage cardiac failure.