CRP
and Martina Feichter, medical editor and biologistDr. med. Andrea Reiter is a freelance writer for the medical editorial team.
More about the expertsMartina Feichter studied biology with an elective subject pharmacy in Innsbruck and also immersed herself in the world of medicinal plants. From there it was not far to other medical topics that still captivate her to this day. She trained as a journalist at the Axel Springer Academy in Hamburg and has been working for since 2007 - first as an editor and since 2012 as a freelance writer.
More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.
The protein CRP is increasingly detectable in the blood when there is inflammation in the body. It is part of the immune system and helps to remove dead immune cells and foreign substances from the inflamed tissue. The concentration of CRP in the blood can also provide information about the type and course of the inflammation. Read everything you need to know about the laboratory value!
What is CRP?
The abbreviation CRP stands for C-reactive protein. The protein belongs to the so-called acute phase proteins of the immune system. This is the name given to proteins that are increasingly released into the blood in the event of an acute inflammation in the body and support the immune system in different ways.
CRP is made in the liver. In the event of an infection, it binds to dead immune cells or to surfaces foreign to the body, such as bacteria and fungi, and makes them available to the immune system's phagocytes. With a fresh inflammation, the CRP increases by 10 to 1000 times within hours and falls again quickly when the inflammation has subsided. However, the value does not give any indication of where in the body the infection and / or inflammation is taking place.
When is CRP determined?
The CRP value is primarily determined for the following questions:
- Is there an inflammation or an infection in the body?
- How severe is the inflammation and does it continue?
- Is it virus or bacterial inflammation?
- Does the antibiotic or anti-inflammatory therapy work?
For example, in most cases of fever or pain, the CRP is determined in order to identify inflammation as the cause.
CRP reference levels
Normally, the CRP level in the blood is below 5 mg / l (0.5 mg / dl). This limit applies to both sexes and all age groups.
When is the CRP value increased?
An increased level in the blood can have many causes and should always be checked medically.
CRP is generally increased when there is inflammation in the body. This could be a urinary tract infection (like cystitis), appendicitis, pneumonia or pancreatitis. CRP is also increased in inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease and in rheuamtoid arthritis ("rheumatism").
Other possible causes of excessively high CRP values are, for example, acute heart attacks and certain tumors (such as lymphomas). The level of C-reactive protein can also be increased after surgery.
CRP increased: what to do?
If the CRP value is increased, the causal inflammation in the body should always be clarified. Depending on the symptoms, further tests will follow to determine the cause. Appropriate therapy can then be initiated. For example, if the infection is bacterial, the doctor will usually prescribe an antibiotic. In general, the concentration of CRP in the blood then drops rapidly.
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