Comparison of inflammatory cells, C-reactive protein, and lipid profile in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease patients and healthy controls in Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains a leading cause of global mortality and disability. Inflammation is increasingly recognized as a key driver in the pathogenesis of ASCVD. However, data on the specific distribution of inflammatory cells, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and lipid profiles among ASCVD patients in this region remain limited. Therefore, we aimed to assess the distribution of inflammatory cells, hsCRP, and lipid profile among ASCVD patients and healthy controls. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from June to November 2024 at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, recruiting 101 ASCVD patients and 101 healthy controls using simple random sampling. Sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical data were collected using a structured questionnaire, measurement, and chart review. Six milliliters of fasting venous blood were drawn for complete blood count (CBC), hsCRP, and lipid profile analyses. Data were analyzed using STATA version 14. Means were compared using independent t-tests and ANOVA at a significance level of p  ≤ 0.05 with a 95% confidence interval. Of the 202 study participants, 101 were ASCVD patients and 101 were healthy controls. The mean ages were 57.42 ± 12.88 years for ASCVD patients and 56.30 ± 10.93 years for healthy controls. ASCVD patients had higher mean WBC and neutrophil counts, and higher median monocytes, NLR, MLR, hsCRP, TC, and LDL ( p  ≤ 0.05) than controls, while median eosinophil levels were significantly lower ( p  ≤ 0.05). Our study showed that ASCVD patients had higher inflammatory cell counts, ratios (NLR, MLR), hsCRP, total cholesterol, and LDL than controls, highlighting the potential roles of inflammation and dyslipidemia in ASCVD development.