High-sensitivity C-reactive protein ≥1mg/L correlates with the plasma atherogenic index and can identify hypertensive patients at increased cardiovascular risk

Background: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a well-established inflammatory marker in cardiovascular risk stratification. The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), calculated as the logarithm of the triglyceride-to-HDL cholesterol ratio, reflects qualitative lipoprotein alterations and plasma atherogenicity. Objective: To investigate the association between hs-CRP levels and AIP in adult patients with arterial hypertension under regular treatment. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 330 adults with arterial hypertension. After a 12–14-hour fasting period, plasma hs-CRP, triglycerides, and HDL-cholesterol were measured, and AIP was calculated as log (TG/HDL-C) in mmol/L. Participants were stratified according to hs-CRP levels (3 mg/L) and classified by AIP (≤0.10 or >0.10). Differences between groups were assessed using Student’s t-test, with p