How useful are high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a) levels for predicting cardiovascular risk over 30 years in women?
hs-CRP Inflammation Test (N Engl J Med 2024, PMID 39216091) — during 30 years, 3662 first major cardiovascular events occurred among participants with a mean baseline age of 54.7 years. Scope: over 30 years, and the abstract states no limitations.
Source: N Engl J Med 2024, PMID 39216091 ↗ · Research map · How Magellan grades evidence · evidence confidence: medium
N Engl J Med · 2024 · PMID 39216091 · DOI 10.1056/NEJMoa2405182
Measuring inflammation and cholesterol markers can predict long-term cardiovascular risk in women, supporting earlier and longer-term prevention strategies.
The question
How useful are high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a) levels for predicting cardiovascular risk over 30 years in women?
What they tested
The study aimed to determine if baseline levels of high-sensitivity CRP, LDL cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a) can predict long-term cardiovascular risk in women, given their established utility in shorter-term predictions and the importance of early-life intervention.
How they did it
This study measured baseline levels of high-sensitivity CRP, LDL cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a) in 27,939 initially healthy U.S. women, who were then followed for 30 years. The primary end point was a first major adverse cardiovascular event, a composite of myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, stroke, or cardiovascular death. Adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated across quintiles of each biomarker, along with 30-year cumulative incidence curves adjusted for age and competing risks.
What they found
During 30 years, 3662 first major cardiovascular events occurred among participants with a mean baseline age of 54.7 years. Increasing baseline levels across quintiles of high-sensitivity CRP, LDL cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a) all predicted 30-year risks. The adjusted hazard ratios for the primary end point comparing the top to the bottom quintile were 1.70 for high-sensitivity CRP, 1.36 for LDL cholesterol, and 1.33 for lipoprotein(a). Each biomarker independently contributed to overall risk, and models combining all three biomarkers showed the greatest risk spread.
| High-sensitivity CRP | 1.7 | |
|---|---|---|
| LDL Cholesterol | 1.36 | |
| Lipoprotein(a) | 1.33 |
Hazard ratios for a first major adverse cardiovascular event over 30 years, comparing the top quintile to the bottom quintile for each biomarker.
What it means
A single combined measure of high-sensitivity CRP, LDL cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a) levels at baseline in initially healthy U.S. women is predictive of incident cardiovascular events over a 30-year period. These findings support extending primary prevention strategies for atherosclerotic events beyond traditional 10-year risk estimates.
Limitations
The abstract does not explicitly state limitations of the study.
Where the published abstract does not list limitations, we say so rather than inventing them. Read the full paper on PubMed before drawing conclusions.
The paper at a glance
| Title | Inflammation, Cholesterol, Lipoprotein(a), and 30-Year Cardiovascular Outcomes in Women |
|---|---|
| Journal | N Engl J Med |
| Year | 2024 |
| PMID | 39216091 ↗ |
| DOI | 10.1056/NEJMoa2405182 ↗ |
| Topic | Cardiovascular & vascular aging |
Read the source: PubMed record (authors, abstract, full citation) ↗ · Publisher via doi.org ↗
Where Magellan uses this paper
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hs-CRP Inflammation Test
Across large prospective cohorts and meta-analyses, higher hs-CRP is consistently associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, cardiovascular and non-vascular mortality, and with aging-related states such as frailty and dementia;
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a blood test that measures very low concentrations of…
Research describes the compound or intervention studied. It is not a claim about any specific product.
Molecules & mechanisms in this paper
Each of these is named in the paper’s own words above. Open the monograph for the full mechanism and its other citations.
Cite this page
These citations point at this summary. To cite the original paper with its full author list, use the PubMed record or doi.org.
Magellan Longevity. (2026). How useful are high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a) levels for predicting cardiovascular risk over 30 years in women? [Plain-English summary of N Engl J Med 2024, PMID 39216091, DOI 10.1056/NEJMoa2405182]. Magellan Longevity. https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d39216091.html@misc{magellan_d39216091,
title = {How useful are high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a) levels for predicting cardiovascular risk over 30 years in women?},
author = {{Magellan Longevity}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://magellanlongevity.com/study/d39216091.html}},
note = {Plain-English summary of PubMed PMID 39216091; DOI 10.1056/NEJMoa2405182; N Engl J Med 2024. Reviewed by Gabriel Radu, DO},
urldate = {2026-08-11}
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