CRP and congestive heart failure: Admission white blood cell count, C-reactive protein and D-dimer levels were significantly greater for patients with cryptogenic stroke when compared to all other stroke groups, and after multivariable regression with adjustment for all candidate variables significant to p < 0.2 (Hispanic ethnicity, congestive heart failure, cortical infarction, white blood cell count and D-dimer), only congestive heart failure was statistically significantly and inversely associated with cryptogenic stroke mechanism (p < 0.01; Table 3).