C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Test

The CRP test is intended to be used for the qualitative screening and semi-quantitative determination of C-Reactive Protein antibodies (CRP) in serum to measure the effectiveness of therapy in patients with acute inflammatory conditions. Monitor conditions that cause inflammation: sepsis, fungal infection, autoimmune disease. It helps uncover those at risk of heart disease where cholesterol levels alone may not be helpful.

CRP usually appears in the serums of patients in the acute stages of inflammatory conditions. It is a sensitive indicator of inflammation. The serums of people with most bacterial infections, some viral infections, acute rheumatoid fever with or without carditis, rheumatoid arthritis, most other collagen diseases, and several other conditions characterized by inflammation contain CRP. Changes in the level of CRP over time in the patient can be used as an index of recovery. Using the CRP test to measure the effectiveness of therapy is of great clinical significance in cases such as acute rheumatoid fever.

The CRP TEST is based on the latex-agglutination method. The principle of this test is based on the immunological reaction between CRP as an antigen and the corresponding antibody coated on the surface of latex particles.