Muhlestein JB, et al. - Whether GlycA, an inflammatory marker that is raised in patients with cardiometabolic diseases and associated with cardiovascular (CV) events, adds independent value to hsCRP for CV risk prediction, was investigated. Levels of GlycA and hsCRP were shown to be independent and additive markers of risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), death and heart failure (HF) hospitalization.

Methods

• Researchers studied patients in the Intermountain Heart Collaborative Study who underwent coronary angiography and had plasma GlycA and hsCRP levels (n = 2996).
• Follow-up was 7.0 ± 2.8 years.
• GlycA and hsCRP were moderately correlated (r = 0.46, P < .0001), and based on their median values, GlycA and hsCRP concentrations were stratified into high and low categories.
• Using multivariable cox hazard regression, researchers assessed the associations of GlycA quartiles, as well as high and low categories of GlycA and hsCRP, with MACE defined as the composite of death, myocardial infarction (MI), HF hospitalization, and stroke.

Results

• As per findings, the highest GlycA quartile was shown to be associated with future MACE [HR: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.22–1.69; P < .0001].
• Diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, HF, renal failure and MI, but not coronary artery disease, was detected more in patients with high GlycA and high hsCRP.
• High GlycA and hsCRP (H/H) vs low GlycA and hsCRP (L/L) was found to be related to MACE, death and HF hospitalization, but not MI or stroke.
• Data revealed combined MACE rates were 33.5%, 41.3%, 35.7% and 49.1% for L/L, L/H, H/L and H/H categories of GlycA/hsCRP, respectively (p-trend <0.0001).
• For the outcome of death, the interaction between GlycA and hsCRP was shown to be significant (P=.03).