title: Reference value for C-reactive protein and its distribution pattern in thai adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To set a reference value for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in a healthy Thai population and study the effect of time, gender and age on that value.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three hundred and sixty-four subjects, aged between 18 and 74 years, comprising 185 men and 279 women, were studied. Another 10 healthy subjects, aged between 18 and 54 years, were recruited for the study of circadian variation in hs-CRP over the days of the week and the months of a year. The reference value for the Thai adults in the present study was 1.8 mg/L, range 0.2-7.9 mg/L. There was no significant difference in the hs-CRP concentration because of region, time, gender or age (p>0.05), nor was the value affected by time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The determination of hs-CRP can be performed at any time and the hs-CRP value determined by this study can be used as the reference for Thai adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. ncharuruks@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Navapun
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Charuruks
authors.forename: Bunpayao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Laohajinda
authors.forename: Suthee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rujiwanitgun
authors.forename: Mathuros
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chaiworaporn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D016008:Statistical Distributions; D013785:Thailand; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein