Clinical importance of C-reactive protein in acute coronary syndromes

To assess whether C-reactive protein is a marker for acute coronary syndromes, we studied 110 consecutive patients admitted to the hospital with chest pain and suspected ischemic heart disease but no elevation of serum creatine-kinase levels, C-reactive protein concentrations were elevated in 59% of the patients with a final diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (MI) and in 5% with a final diagnosis of unstable angina (p < .001). Thus, C- reactive protein serum levels could be a marker for acute coronary syndromes and may identify patients at high risk for acute MI.