Population distribution of high sensitivity C-reactive protein values in Aboriginal Australians: a comparison with other populations.

OBJECTIVES To examine the distribution of C-reactive protein (CRP) values in Aboriginal Australians and its relation to age and gender. METHODS High sensitivity CRP levels were measured in 954 Aboriginal participants aged 5-74 years. Fractional polynomial regressions were used to explore the relationship between CRP and age. RESULTS CRP values changed with age and reached its lowest level around 10 years and then increased with age. Geometric means of CRP were 7.3 (95% confidence interval (CI): 6.6, 8.1) and 4.1 (95% CI: 3.7, 4.6) for female and male adults, respectively. Adjusting for age, the ratio of female to male CRP concentrations was 1.67 (95% CI: 1.45, 1.99) for adults, and 1.09 (95% CI: 0.84, 1.42) for children 5 to 19 years. CONCLUSIONS CRP changes with age. Females have higher CRP values than males. CRP values in Aboriginal people are substantially higher than other populations.