title: C-reactive protein and disease activity in children with Crohn's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Various markers are used to monitor disease activity in paediatric Crohn's disease (CD). We sought to determine whether C-reactive protein measurement was useful in the assessment of disease activity in children with CD, with comparison to the other markers of disease activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Details of disease activity, C-reactive protein and inflammatory markers were obtained retrospectively from the records of 100 outpatient visits by 63 children with CD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The children were 12.6 (+/-3.4) years of age. C-reactive protein values correlated positively with disease activity (P < 0.0001). Children with inactive disease (according to pediatric CD activity index scores) had significantly lower C-reactive protein values compared to children with mild disease (P < 0.001). In addition, C-reactive protein values correlated well with ESR (P < 0.0001). Conclusions C-reactive protein measurements provided useful information in assessing children with CD and correlated well with a validated measure of disease activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Sydney Children's Hospital, High Street, Randwick, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia.
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tilakaratne
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lemberg
authors.forename: Steven T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Leach
authors.forename: Andrew S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Day
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein