title: Evaluation of a rapid bedside test for the quantitative determination of C-reactive protein.
abstract: Regardless of its origin, any condition associated with inflammation is accompanied by an increase in serum C-reactive protein levels. This study compared the results of a rapid test for the bedside assay of C-reactive protein (QuikRead CRP, Orion Corporation, Orion Diagnostica, Espoo, Finland) with those of a standard laboratory assay in samples taken from 231 children aged less than 14 years (126 males; median age 4.7 years) attending the Emergency Department of Milan University's Institute of Pediatrics because of acute respiratory infection. The two methods showed similar median C-reactive protein levels (standard laboratory assay: 34.7 mg/L, range 4-199 mg/L; QuikRead CRP: 33.3 mg/L, range <8-196 mg/L; p = 0.779) and a similar distribution of children with C-reactive protein levels of <20 mg/L, 20-70 mg/L and >70 mg/L. This study shows for the first time that the rapid QuikRead CRP test can be performed at the bedside or in an outpatient clinic and, in less than 5 min, gives the same quantitative results as those obtained using a more complex routine laboratory method.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pediatrics, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, University of Milan, Italy. susanna.esposito@unimi.it
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tremolati
authors.forename: Enrica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Begliatti
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bosis
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gualtieri
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Principi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein