Fig. 2.

Correlations of cardiac function with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. High-sensitivity CRP levels as a continuous variable inversely correlated with the Doppler e’ velocity (Panel a) and ∆ LVOT VTI CO with exercise (Panel b), and directly with the ∆ exercise E/e’ ratio (Panel c). Abbreviations: e’ = early diastolic mitral annular velocities averaged between the lateral and septal annulus; hsCRP = high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; ∆ LVOT VTI CO = delta left-ventricular outflow tract velocity time integral cardiac output with exercise; ∆ E/e’ exercise = delta early transmitral flow to early diastolic mitral annular velocity ratio with exercise