CRP Cutoff Value in East Asians With Coronary Heart Disease

BACKGROUND: Although abundant data support an association between C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration and poor prognosis in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients in Western countries, East Asian populations with lower baseline CRP levels require further comprehensive evaluation. OBJECTIVES: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to clarify the inflammatory risk cutoff value of CRP level in East Asian CHD patients and the association between CRP level and the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). METHODS: We conducted a systematic review by searching PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Scopus from their inception to June 7, 2025. Studies that met the criteria reported the association between CRP level and incidence of MACE, a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and revascularization. RESULTS: = 69%). Subgroup analysis further revealed that the median CRP level in East Asian CHD patients was 1.2 mg/L, which was much lower than that in Western populations. Moreover, the CRP level ≥1.0 mg/L rather than ≥2.0 mg/L better predicted poor prognosis in East Asian patients. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis indicates that the median CRP level among East Asian CHD patients is 1.2 mg/L. Furthermore, a CRP level ≥1.0 mg/L can appropriately define inflammatory risk and serves as a suitable predictor of poor prognosis in East Asian CHD patients.