Correlation of High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein and Fasting Lipid Profile for Assessing Cardiovascular Risk Factors in patients with Autoimmune Connective Tissue Disorders: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Patients with Autoimmune Connective Tissue Diseases (AICTDs) face an increased cardiovascular risk that traditional risk factors cannot fully explain. Chronic systemic inflammation in these disorders is thought to disrupt lipid metabolism, contributing to accelerated atherosclerosis. Understanding the interplay between inflammation and dyslipidaemia is crucial for improving cardiovascular risk assessment in this population. Aim: To assess the prevalence of dyslipidaemia and elevated High-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP) in patients with AICTDs and evaluate their correlation as potential markers of cardiovascular risk. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Pune, Maharashtra, India, from October 2022 to February 2025. A total of 100 patients aged above 18 years, already diagnosed with AICTDs, were included in the study. Comprehensive clinical assessment, serological testing, and measurement of fasting lipid parameters and hsCRP levels were performed. Relationships between lipid parameters, hsCRP, and various clinical variables including disease type, disease duration, Body Mass Index (BMI), and steroid use were analysed. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The study population consisted of 100 patients, with females comprising 75% of participants and males 25%, and the majority aged between 41 and 60 years. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) was the most common diagnosis (46%), followed by Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) (16%), Sjögren’s syndrome (12%), and other AICTDs. Dyslipidaemia was observed in 92% of patients, with elevated triglycerides (64%), high total cholesterol (56%), and elevated Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (50%) being most common. Elevated hsCRP levels (>3 mg/L) were present in 64% of patients. Significant correlations were observed between hsCRP and lipid parameters: positive correlations with total cholesterol (r-value=0.411, p-value<0.001), triglycerides (r -value=0.224, p-value=0.02), LDL (r-value=0.404, p-value<0.001), and the TC/HDL ratio (r-value=0.394, p-value<0.001), and a negative correlation with High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) (r-value= -0.227, p-value=0.02). Conclusion: AICTD patients showed a high prevalence of dyslipidaemia and elevated hsCRP, with significant inflammation– lipid correlations. This highlights inflammation-driven dyslipidaemia as a key cardiovascular risk factor, warranting comprehensive risk assessment regardless of disease subtype or duration.