High-sensitivity C-reactive protein profiles differ between Korean and US adults with LDL cholesterol below 100 mg/dL
Abstract
ObjectivesTo compare high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) profiles in Korean and US adults with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) below 100 mg/dL and examine differences after adiposity adjustment.
Study designCross-sectional analysis of national health examination surveys.
MethodsWe analysed the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2022-2024 (n=5,785) and US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey August 2021-August 2023 (n=1,056). Eligible adults had Sampson-calculated LDL-C <100 mg/dL and hsCRP [≤]10 mg/L; elevated hsCRP was defined as 2-10 mg/L. We estimated survey-weighted prevalence differences and adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs).
ResultsLDL-C distributions closely overlapped (weighted medians, 79.7 vs 80.1 mg/dL), whereas median hsCRP was 0.50 vs 1.34 mg/L. Elevated-hsCRP prevalence was 12.2% in Korea and 35.7% in the United States (difference, 23.5 percentage points; 95% CI, 19.4-27.7); the age-sex-standardised difference was 23.4 percentage points. Among 6,235 common complete cases, the age-sex-adjusted US-versus-Korea PR was 2.86 (95% CI, 2.48-3.30), decreasing to 1.66 (1.40-1.98) after waist circumference adjustment and 1.92 (1.62-2.26) after body mass index adjustment.
ConclusionsSimilar LDL-C distributions coexisted with markedly different hsCRP profiles. Waist adjustment attenuated the between-country contrast more than BMI adjustment, supporting joint consideration of inflammatory, lipid and anthropometric measures in population surveillance.
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BibTeX
@misc{teng2026highsensitivity,
title = {{High-sensitivity C-reactive protein profiles differ between Korean and US adults with LDL cholesterol below 100 mg/dL}},
author = {J. TENG and J. XIA},
howpublished = {medRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.64898/2026.10.14.26365531},
url = {https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.14.26365531v1},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - High-sensitivity C-reactive protein profiles differ between Korean and US adults with LDL cholesterol below 100 mg/dL
AU - J. TENG
AU - J. XIA
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
PB - medRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.10.14.26365531
UR - https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.14.26365531v1
AB - ObjectivesTo compare high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) profiles in Korean and US adults with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) below 100 mg/dL and examine differences after adiposity adjustment. Study designCross-sectional analysis of national health examination surveys. MethodsWe analysed the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2022-2024 (n=5,785) and US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey August 2021-August 2023 (n=1,056). Eligible adults had Sampson-calculated LDL-C <100 mg/dL and hsCRP [≤]10 mg/L; elevated hsCRP was defined as 2-10 mg/L. We estimated survey-weighted prevalence differences and adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs). ResultsLDL-C distributions closely overlapped (weighted medians, 79.7 vs 80.1 mg/dL), whereas median hsCRP was 0.50 vs 1.34 mg/L. Elevated-hsCRP prevalence was 12.2% in Korea and 35.7% in the United States (difference, 23.5 percentage points; 95% CI, 19.4-27.7); the age-sex-standardised difference was 23.4 percentage points. Among 6,235 common complete cases, the age-sex-adjusted US-versus-Korea PR was 2.86 (95% CI, 2.48-3.30), decreasing to 1.66 (1.40-1.98) after waist circumference adjustment and 1.92 (1.62-2.26) after body mass index adjustment. ConclusionsSimilar LDL-C distributions coexisted with markedly different hsCRP profiles. Waist adjustment attenuated the between-country contrast more than BMI adjustment, supporting joint consideration of inflammatory, lipid and anthropometric measures in population surveillance.
ER -