Objectives: Examine associations of favorable levels of all cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors (RFs) [i.e., low risk (LR)] at younger ages with high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) at older ages.
Methods: There were 1,324 participants ages 65-84 years with hs-CRP ≤ 10mg/l from the Chicago Healthy Aging Study (2007-2010), CVD RFs assessed at baseline (1967-73) and 39 years later. LR was defined as untreated blood pressure (BP) ≤120/≤80 mmHg, untreated serum total cholesterol <200 mg/dL, body mass index (BMI) <25 kg/m2, not smoking, no diabetes. Hs-CRP was natural log-transformed or dichotomized as elevated (≥3 mg/l or ≥2 mg/l) vs. otherwise.
Results: With multivariable adjustment, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for follow-up hs-CRP ≥3 mg/ in participants with baseline 0RF, 1RF and 2+RFs compared to those with baseline LR were 1.35 (0.89-2.03), 1.61(1.08-2.40) and 1.69(1.04-2.75), respectively. There was also a graded, direct association across four categories of RF groups with follow-up hs-CRP levels (β coefficient/P-trend = 0.18/0.014). Associations were mainly due to baseline smoking and BMI, independent of 39-year change in BMI levels. Similar trends were observed in gender-specific analyses.
Conclusions: Favorable levels of all CVD RFs in younger age are associated with lower hs-CRP level in older age.
Keywords: C-reactive protein; aging; cardiovascular disease; inflammation; risk factors.