Objective: Currently, there is a lack of studies combining the relationship between depression, chronic heart failure (CHF) and CRP polymorphisms (SNPs). The objective of the study was the investigation of the potential influence of rs2794521 in CRP on the survival and clinical profile of patients suffering from both depression and CHF.
Patients and methods: 103 CHF individuals were studied to evaluate depression occurrence and to compare values of cardiac, laboratory and nutritional parameters depending on CRP genotypes.
Results: The higher frequency of CC genotype was found in depressive patients (p=0.021). Serum CRP concentration was significantly higher in depressed patients than in non-depressed ones (p=0.032). CC depressive individuals demonstrated greater frequency of NYHA grade III-IV (p<0.001) and higher level of circulating CRP (p=0.001) and TNF-α (p=0.042) compared with CT or TT carriers. CC individuals were more frequently classified as moderately or severely malnourished according to SGA (p=0.014). CC genotype was associated with a higher risk of early death during the 72 months of the follow-up (HR=4.01; p=0.006 for CC vs. CT vs. TT and HR=4.46; p<0.001 for CC vs. CT+TT).
Conclusions: CC genotype of CRP more frequently occurs in depressive CHF patients, and it is associated with worse clinical outcomes and disease prognosis.