Association between Elevated C-Reactive Protein Levels and Mortality in Patients with Pericarditis: A Retrospective Study of 160 Patients

Abstract

Background: Pericarditis is an inflammatory condition of the pericardium that can cause significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and mortality in patients with pericarditis. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 160 patients with pericarditis who were admitted to a tertiary care hospital: Chu Ibn Rochd of Casablanca, between January 2015 and December 2019. Data on demographics, comorbidities, laboratory parameters, and outcomes were collected. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Results: The median age of the patients was 58 years, and 56% were male. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (55%) and diabetes (21%). The median CRP level on admission was 44 mg/L. During a median follow-up of 24 months, 12 patients (7.5%) died. Elevated CRP levels on admission were associated with an increased risk of mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-1.20, p = 0.009). Older age (adjusted HR 1.07; 95% CI 1.02-1.13; p = 0.007) and diabetes (adjusted HR 2.33; 95% CI 1.07-5.08; p = 0.033) were also associated with increased mortality. Conclusions: Elevated CRP levels on admission were associated with an increased risk of mortality in patients with pericarditis. Measuring CRP levels may be useful in identifying patients who are at high risk of mortality and who may require more aggressive management. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings and to investigate the role of CRP levels in the management of pericarditis.