Assay

C-Reactive Protein

Key Words

CRP

Specimen Collection

Serum (brown), Plasma (orange)

Turnaround Time

8hrs

Test Indications

The assessment of plasma CRP is used to: detect systemic inflammatory processes; assess treatment of bacterial infections with antibiotics; detect intrauterine infections with concomitant premature amniorrhexis; differentiate between active and inactive forms of disease with concurrent infection (e.g. in patients suffering from SLE or ulcerative colitis); monitor response to rheumatic disease treatment and assess anti-inflammatory therapy; determine the presence of post-operative complications at an early stage (e.g. infected wounds, thrombosis and pneumonia); and to distinguish between infection and bone marrow rejection. The CRP response frequently precedes clinical symptoms, including fever. After onset of an acute phase response the serum CRP concentration rises rapidly and extensively. The increase begins within 6 to 12 hours and the peak value is reached within 24 to 48 hours.

Limitations/Interferences

Methodological (negative) interference seen in patients treated with ticarcillin. Increases in CRP levels may be less pronounced in those with liver disease.

Reference Range

<5 mg/L

Analytical Error

5.2%

Reference Change Value

117.9%

Minimum retesting interval

Requests made within 2 days of a previous request on a patient are intervened