CRP and chronic kidney disease: Likewise, multivariate stepwise regression analysis showed that age (β = 0.289, P < 0.01), hs-CRP level (β = 0.146, P < 0.05), and uOC level (β = -0.163, P < 0.05) were independent risk factors for increased carotid IMT in non-dialysis CKD patients (Table 4).