CRP Description |
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C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase protein normally present in very low concentrations in the
serum of healthy people. During the inflammatory process of bacterial infections, in connection with
tissue injury and after surgery, CRP concentrations are markedly increased. Elevated concentrations of
CRP can be detected within 6-12 h after the onset of the inflammatory process.
As CRP is usually elevated in bacterial infections but not in viral infections, it can be used as a
basic tool for distinguishing bacterial infections from viral ones. CRP concentrations in serum increase
and decrease faster than erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in response to changes in the patient's
condition. If the patient recovers uneventfully, serum CRP will usually return to values under 10 mg/l
within a few days. ESR, on the other hand, exhibits extremely wide variation, and normal values are
usually reached only after a longer period.
Since CRP concentrations drop rapidly, at roughly 50% a day, CRP is useful in monitoring the efficacy of
antibiotic treatment. A downward trend in CRP concentrations indicates that treatment is progressing well,
and treatment can often be stopped when the CRP value reaches the normal range.
CRP is not only a marker of severe infection and trauma but can also be used to predict a risk of
developing cardiovascular disease. Even minimally increased CRP values (2-3 mg/l) double the risk of
future atherothrombotic events, compared with CRP values of approx. 1 mg/l.
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