Risk Stratification for Primary Prevention of Coronary Artery Disease: Roles of C-Reactive Protein and Coronary Artery Calcium

Risk stratification of individuals at risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) plays an important role in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. In addition to risk scores derived from conventional cardiovascular risk factors, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and coronary artery calcium (CAC) have emerged as two of the widely accepted non traditional risk factors for atherosclerotic disease that have shown incremental prognostic value in predicting cardiovascular events. This review systematically assesses the role of hs-CRP and CAC in various studies and demonstrates meta-analyses of the incremental prognostic value of hs-CRP and CAC in identifying patients at risk of future CVD events. Compared with this, CAC showed better incremental prognostic value and might be a better indicator of ASCVD risk in asymptomatic adults.