C-reactive protein (CRP) is quantitative

C-reactive protein (CRP, CRP) is a laboratory test that helps diagnose inflammatory processes in the body.

C-reactive protein is actively released by the body in response to even minor inflammation in the acute phase, and this is recorded in the laboratory - the test has high sensitivity. At the same time, the blood test for C-reactive protein is characterized by low specificity — it allows to record the fact of inflammation, but does not provide any information about the nature or localization of the inflammatory process. Therefore, this analysis is often included in a set of diagnostic measures, but it is rarely prescribed independently, in isolation from other laboratory tests.

The synthesis of C-reactive protein is provided by the liver, which increases its production already 6 hours after the start of the inflammatory process, often before the first symptoms of the disease appear. In 24-48 hours, the level of C-reactive protein in the blood can increase 10-100 times. An increased level of CRP is recorded even before the appearance of the first signs of the inflammatory process, which are noticeable to an ordinary person - pain, increased body temperature, etc.