Abstract
Increased serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels have been associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality after kidney transplantation. As genetic variations within the CRP gene determine CRP serum levels, we analyzed the association of both serum CRP levels, and post-transplant morbidity/mortality with CRP-genotypes/haplotypes. We determined CRP levels pretransplant, at 3 and 6 months ...
Abstract
Increased serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels have been associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality after kidney transplantation. As genetic variations within the CRP gene determine CRP serum levels, we analyzed the association of both serum CRP levels, and post-transplant morbidity/mortality with CRP-genotypes/haplotypes. We determined CRP levels pretransplant, at 3 and 6 months post-transplant in 402 first kidney recipients, gencityped the three functionally distinct polymorphisms, and subsequently reconstructed the different haplotypes. Four different CRP-haplotypes were observed with a frequency >1%: CGC (33.3%), CGT (30.2%), CAT (29.7%) and GGT (6.8%). CRP levels pretransplantation or 3 and 6 months post-transplant were not different in patients with different CRP-haplotypes. Furthermore, no association of CRP-haplotypes/diplotypes was found with acute rejection, delayed graft function, all-cause mortality or cardiovascular events. In our renal transplant population, we found no association of CRP-haplotypes/diplotypes with either CRP levels or with post-transplant morbidity/mortality. In this inflammation-prone population, rather small genetically determined differences in serum CRP observed in normal populations presumably are overridden by background inflammation. Life long genetically determined increased serum CRP levels appear not to have an impact in our study, implying that CRP is more likely only a marker of current inflammation than a causative agent of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
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