C-REACTIVE PROTEIN
C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is an acute phase protein produced mainly by the liver, the concentration of which increases as a consequence of injuries, infections and inflammations.
Although it is not a specific marker for a particular pathology, it is used as a generic diagnostic indicator of infections and inflammations, as well as to monitor patients’ reactions to therapies and postoperative course. Levels of this protein in blood are high during bacterial infections, while they are restrained during viral infections. For this reason C-Reactive Protein assay can be a useful tool in defining the cause of an inflammation.
WHO IS THIS TEST FOR?
C-REACTIVE PROTEIN TEST is useful in assisting the diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring, as it helps to determine the origin of a possible infection.
Levels of C-Reactive Protein in blood reach their maximum concentration between 24 and 48 hours after the onset of the first symptoms of infection / inflammation (e.g., fever, headache, fatigue), then its levels decrease as the infection subsides.