High‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein is a predictor of all‐cause mortality in a rural Japanese population

Abstract

BackgroundHigh‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hsCRP) is a sensitive marker of inflammation. This study aimed to determine whether increased hsCRP levels are associated with all‐cause mortality rate.MethodsWe examined data for participants from the 2002 Nomura Cohort Study who attended follow‐ups for 20 years (follow‐up rate: 93.3%). Of these, 793 were male (aged 61 ± 14 years) and 1040 were female (aged 63 ± 11 years). The Japanese Basic Resident Registry provided data on adjusted relative hazards for all‐cause mortality. The data were subjected to a Cox regression analysis using a time variable of age and confounding risk factors.ResultsThe median (interquartile range) follow‐up period was 6548 days (6094–7452 days). The follow‐up confirmed that there were 632 (34.8%) deaths, of which 319 were male (40.2% of all males) and 313 were female (30.6% of all females). Multivariable‐adjusted hazard ratio (1.27; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.59) in the highest hsCRP category was also significantly higher compared with reference. A higher hsCRP was associated with a greater risk of all‐cause mortality in male participants aged ≥65 years, a BMI < 25 kg/m2, and no history of CVD or diabetes, and this association was particularly significant among participants with both of the latter two risk factors (p = 0.004 and 0.022 for interaction, respectively).ConclusionsOur results indicate a significant association between hsCRP levels and all‐cause mortality in a rural Japanese population. Specifically, hsCRP appears to be a crucial biomarker for predicting long‐term survival, particularly among older persons.