title: C-reactive protein in patients with Guillain Barré syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase reactant, widely used as a biomarker for various infectious and inflammatory conditions. Guillain-Barrι syndrome (GBS) is an acute, autoimmune, polyradiculoneuropathy, triggered by infectious agents such as Campylobacter jejuni. GBS is generally precipitated 1-3 weeks following C. jejuni infection which suggests a humoral immunopathogenic mechanism.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Basal CRP levels were estimated in sera of patients with GBS and compared with adequate controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population was divided into 4 groups: (i) GBS group included 45 newly diagnosed GBS patients; (ii) Neurological control (NC) group comprised of 59 patients with non-paralytic neurological symptoms/disorders; (iii) Non-neurological controls (NNC) comprised of 43 patients having no neurological symptoms and (iv) Healthy controls (HC) comprised of 101 healthy subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  CRP was evaluated using slide latex agglutination test (LAT) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Statistical analysis was done by the Chi-square test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CRP by LAT was positive in 24.4% GBS group, 34% NC group and 44% NNC group. The range of titer in CRP positive samples in the three patient groups (GBS, NC, NNC) was at concentration of 0.6 mg/dl to 19.2 mg/dl. Similar results were also obtained by ELISA in the patient groups. None of the HC subjects was positive for detectable levels of CRP. High basal level of CRP was detected in patients with GBS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Autoimmune conditions like GBS can stimulate the production of a high level of inflammation resulting in an increase in the CRP production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Chetana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vaishnavi
authors.forename: Prashant
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kapoor
authors.forename: Chitra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Behura
authors.forename: Shrawan Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Sudesh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prabhakar
mesh_terms: D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000276:immunology; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein