Comparison of C-reactive protein levels inpatients with coronary artery ectasia versus patients with obstructive coronary artery disease

This study evaluated plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, a specific marker of inflammation, in 32 patients with isolated coronary artery ectasia (CAE) and compared the results with those of 32 patients with obstrucfive coronary artery disease without coronary artery ectasia and 30 subjects with angiographically normal coronary arteries. CRP levels were found to be significandy higher in patients with isolated CAE (p < 0.001), suggesting that more severe inflammation may be involved in the pathogenesis of CAE. (C) 2004 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.