C-Reactive protein, a valuable predictive marker in chronic kidney disease.

The aim of this study was to look for correlation between the markers for malnutrition and inflammation, and atherosclerosis in predialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. This observational study involved 100 predialysis patients (age 57 +/- 12 years) from the out-patient and in-patient departments over a span of two years. Informed consent was obtained from all the study patients. Highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) was assayed as a marker of chronic inflammation. Nutritional status was assessed using serum albumin and body mass index (BMI). Clinical and laboratory data were collected and a carotid doppler study was performed using duplex ultrasonography method to look for carotid artery stenosis. Renal function was assessed by calculating the estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) by the MDRD-2 formula. These data were later analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and the students' t test. The mean GFR was 28.3 +/- 16.4 mL/min/1.73m 2 . The mean value of CRP was 14.3 +/- 11.4 mg /L. Sixty-seven percent of patients had elevated CRP (> 6 mg/L) levels. Patients with higher CRP levels showed lower mean serum albumin levels (3.2 +/- 0.7 gm/dL) (P < 0.01). Only three patients had evidence of hemodynamically significant carotid disease (lumen diameter < 50%) with no statistical significance. Low serum albumin levels were associated with low hemoglobin levels (< 10 gm/dL), low GFR and presence of diabetes mellitus. Our results indicate that a high degree of inflammation and malnutrition exists in predialysis patients as seen by high CRP values and low serum albumin levels. Synergism of these factors could contribute to atherosclerosis in CKD apart from the classic risk factors. To our knowledge, this is the first study, which has compared these markers of inflammation in predialysis patients in developing countries.