The Optimal Cut-off Point of C-Reactive Protein as an Optional Component of Metabolic Syndrome in Japan

Background C-reactive protein (CRP) independently predicts cardiovascular disease (CVD) and is considered to be part of metabolic syndrome (MS). The concentration of CRP are proposed to be <1.0mg/L as low risk, 1.0 to 3.0mg/L as intermediate risk, and >3.0mg/L as high risk for CVD in Western society. Methods and Results Apparently healthy 179 men and 166 women were categorized with modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria (body mass index 〓25 in place of abdominal obesity) for defining MS. The cut-off points of CRP were evaluated for both MS defined by impaired fasting glucose criteria of 〓110mg/dl (MS110) and 〓100mg/dl (MS100), separately by sex. The optimal cut-off point of CRP was 0.65mg/L in all subgroups. The sensitivity and specificity of this CRP value for male MS100, female MS100, male MS110, and female MS110 were 0.650 and 0.626, 1.000 and 0.771, 0.739 and 0.609, and 1.000 and 0.756, respectively. Conclusions The optimal cut-off point of CRP for MS might be 0.65mg/L in Japan and this value can be useful in routine clinical practice and studies on MS.