C-REACTIVE PROTEIN

CLINICAL UTILITY:

C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is a pentameric serum protein which rapidly increases in concentration at the onset of inflammation, infection and tissue injury, and is considered the classical acute phase reactant. Its measurement is comparable to following erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESR), but CRP levels correlate more closely with the degree of tissue damage and are more reliable and rapid in detecting changes in disease activity.

Measurement of CRP serum levels may be helpful in the management of inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, bacterial infections, tissue injury such as myocardial infarction or burns, neoplasia, and leukemias and lymphomas. CRP levels also can aid in the differential diagnosis of a number of diseases: In SLE vs. rheumatoid arthritis, higher levels are found in RA. In cysitis vs. pyelonephritis, higher levels are found in the latter. In viral vs. bacterial infections, higher levels are found in bacterial. In asthma vs. bronchitis, higher levels are found in the latter.

METHOD DESCRIPTION:

Serum levels of CRP are determined by nephelometry.

REFERENCE RANGE:

<1 mg/ml (Elevated values should be interpreted with other clinical symptoms, since a number of disease processes may be contributing to the acute phase response. In addition, pregnancy and the use of intrauterine devices or hormonal contraceptive can raise CRP levels.)

SPECIMEN REQUIREMENTS:

0.5 ml serum. Freeze.