title: How to use: C-reactive protein.
abstract: C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase protein that increases 4-6 h after an inflammatory trigger and peaks at 36-50 h. Levels decrease rapidly with the resolution of inflammation. CRP is generally highly elevated in invasive bacterial infections and is often used as a marker of inflammation. A single CRP level is neither sensitive nor specific enough to identify all children with serious bacterial infection. However, a raised CRP does suggest serious bacterial infection and should suggest further assessment is needed. CRP levels that fail to decrease, or continue to rise, after 48 h of antibiotic therapy suggest treatment failure. In infants with suspected neonatal sepsis, two CRP measurements 24 h apart that are <10 mg/l are useful in excluding sepsis.
authors.affiliation: Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool L12 2AP, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McWilliam
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riordan
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D019985:Benchmarking; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005334:Fever / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007249:Inflammation; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D018579:Patient Selection; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein