title: C reactive protein rapid assay techniques for monitoring resolution of infection in immunosuppressed patients.
abstract: Three rapid assay techniques (latex agglutination, laser nephelometry, and EMIT enzyme immunoassay) have been evaluated for serial monitoring of the serum C reactive protein (CRP) concentration in immunosuppressed patients with fever. Radial immunodiffusion assay was used as a reference method. Latex agglutination reliably distinguished between normal and raised serum CRP concentrations. Enzyme immunoassay also provided a result within minutes, showed particularly close correlation (r = 0.967) with the reference method, and was free from interference by lipaemic or icteric sera. In 27% of 55 episodes of fever studied serially in immunosuppressed patients, the enzyme immunoassay provided clinically useful information by indicating incomplete resolution of infection despite resolution of fever.
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D005334:Fever / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007834:Lasers; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein