Korean J Fam Med.  2011 Sep;32(6):327-333. 10.4082/kjfm.2011.32.6.327.

Association of Serum Total Bilirubin with Serum High Sensitivity C-reactive Protein in Middle-aged Men

• Yu K
• Kim C
• Sung E
• Shin H
• Lee H

• KMID: 2235524
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4082/kjfm.2011.32.6.327

Abstract

BACKGROUND
It has been suggested that bilirubin has an inverse association with cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to its antioxidant properties. However, there are few data regarding the relationship between serum total bilirubin (sTB) and risk factors for CVD in Koreans. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between sTB and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), which is an independent risk factor for CVD.
METHODS
We performed a cross sectional study in 6,800 men who were examined at a health promotion center at a university hospital in Korea between May 2005 and June 2006. We grouped the subjects according to values of serum hsCRP (above or below 1.0 mg/L) and compared the characteristics of the two groups. To evaluate the relationship between sTB and hsCRP, we classified the subjects according to quartile values of sTB. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the relationship of levels of sTB and hsCRP after adjusting for known risk factors for CVD.
RESULTS
Serum hsCRP was significantly associated with body mass index (BMI), smoking, diabetes, hypertension, fasting plasma glucose, systolic blood pressure, alanine aminotransferase, and total cholesterol/high density lipoprotein (TC/HDL-C) ratio, but not with age or alcohol use. As levels of sTB increased, there was a decrease in age, numbers of smokers, BMI, and TC/HDL ratio. Compared to the lowest quartile of sTB, levels of hsCRP decreased with odds ratios of 0.82 (95% CI, 0.71 to 0.96), 0.75 (95% CI, 0.65 to 0.88), and 0.63 (95% CI, 0.54 to 0.74) in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quartiles of bilirubin, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Bilirubin may be inversely associated with hsCRP

Keyword

Bilirubin; High Sensitivity C-reactive Protein; Cardiovascular Disease

MeSH Terms

Alanine Transaminase
Bilirubin
Blood Pressure
Body Mass Index
C-Reactive Protein
Cardiovascular Diseases
Fasting
Glucose
Health Promotion
Humans
Hypertension
Korea
Lipoproteins
Logistic Models
Male
Odds Ratio
Plasma
Risk Factors
Smoke
Smoking
Alanine Transaminase
Bilirubin
C-Reactive Protein
Glucose
Lipoproteins
Smoke