BMC Nephrology (Jan 2010)

The relation of C - reactive protein to chronic kidney disease in African Americans: the Jackson Heart Study

  • Akylbekova Ermeg L,
  • Flessner Michael F,
  • Salahudeen Abdullah K,
  • Steffes Michael W,
  • Taylor Jason K,
  • Nagarajarao Harsha,
  • Sarpong Daniel F,
  • Benjamin Emelia J,
  • Fox Ervin R,
  • Fox Caroline S,
  • Garrison Robert J,
  • Taylor Herman A

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2369-11-1
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
p. 1

Abstract

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Abstract Background African Americans have an increased incidence and worse prognosis with chronic kidney disease (CKD - estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] 2) than their counterparts of European-descent. Inflammation has been related to renal disease in non-Hispanic whites, but there are limited data on the role of inflammation in renal dysfunction in African Americans in the community. Methods We examined the cross-sectional relation of log transformed C-reactive protein (CRP) to renal function (eGFR by Modification of Diet and Renal Disease equation) in African American participants of the community-based Jackson Heart Study's first examination (2000 to 2004). We conducted multivariable linear regression relating CRP to eGFR adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, diabetes, total/HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, smoking, antihypertensive therapy, lipid lowering therapy, hormone replacement therapy, and prevalent cardiovascular disease events. In a secondary analysis we assessed the association of CRP with albuminuria (defined as albumin-to-creatinine ratio > 30 mg/g). Results Participants (n = 4320, 63.2% women) had a mean age ± SD of 54.0 ± 12.8 years. The prevalence of CKD was 5.2% (n = 228 cases). In multivariable regression, CRP concentrations were higher in those with CKD compared to those without CKD (mean CRP 3.2 ± 1.1 mg/L vs. 2.4 ± 1.0 mg/L, respectively p 0.05). Conclusion CRP was associated with CKD however not albuminuria in multivariable-adjusted analyses. The study of inflammation in the progression of renal disease in African Americans merits further investigation.