Socioeconomic and racial/ethnic differentials of C-reactive protein levels: a systematic review of population-based studies

Medline was searched through December 2006 for population-based studies examining CRP levels among adults with respect to indicators of socioeconomic position (SEP) and/or race/ethnicity. Bibliographies from located studies were scanned and 26 experts in the field were contacted for unpublished work.Thirty-two relevant articles were located. Cross-sectional (n = 20) and cohort studies (n = 11) were included, as was the control group of one trial. CRP levels were examined with respect to SEP and race/ethnicity in 25 and 15 analyses, respectively. Of 20 studies that were unadjusted or adjusted for demographic variables, 19 found inverse associations between CRP levels and SEP. Of 15 similar studies, 14 found differences between racial/ethnic groups such that whites had the lowest while blacks, Hispanics and South Asians had the highest CRP levels. Most studies also included adjustment for potential mediating variables in the causal chain between SEP or race/ethnicity and CRP. Most of these studies showed attenuated but still significant associations.Increasing poverty and non-white race was associated with elevated CRP levels among adults. Most analyses in the literature are underestimating the true effects of racial/ethnic and socioeconomic factors due to adjustment for mediating factors.The global burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents the highest cause of mortality and one of the highest causes of morbidity both in high-income and low/middle-income countries [1,2]. It is well known that socioeconomic factors and race/ethnicity influence CVD outcomes and risk factors. Studies have consistently found inverse and independent associations between socioeconomic position (SEP) and the prevalence and incidence of CVD [3-8]. Multi-ethnic studies have pointed to significant differences between racial/ethnic groups [3,4,7,9,10]. In a Canadian study, for example, South Asians were shown to have 6 and 9% higher prevalence of CVD when compared to Europeans and Chines