[CRP] C-REACTIVE Flashcards
What is C-reactive protein (CRP)?
An acute-phase protein produced by the liver in response to inflammation.
Where is CRP produced in the body?
Liver.
What triggers CRP production?
Infections, tissue injury, chronic inflammatory diseases.
What is the primary function of CRP in the immune system?
Acts as an early indicator of infection, tissue damage, or inflammatory conditions.
What are the clinical applications of CRP testing?
Diagnosis and monitoring of infections, inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and cardiovascular risk.
What is the principle of the CRP latex slide test?
Latex particles coated with anti-CRP antibodies react with CRP in serum, forming visible agglutination.
What specimen is required for the CRP test?
Serum.
What reagents are used in the CRP latex slide test?
CRP latex reagent, glycine saline buffer, positive and negative controls.
How is the CRP test performed?
Mix serum with CRP latex reagent and observe for visible agglutination within 2 minutes.
How is a positive CRP test identified?
Presence of fine, granular agglutination.
What does a negative CRP test indicate?
No visible agglutination.
What are the two types of CRP tests?
Standard CRP test and high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) test.
What is the difference between standard CRP and high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP)?
Standard CRP detects significant inflammation; hs-CRP detects low-grade inflammation for cardiovascular risk.
How is the CRP titer determined in a positive reaction?
Multiply the highest dilution with visible agglutination by the test sensitivity.
What is the normal CRP reference range?
0.8 - 3.1 mg/L.
What are the expected CRP levels in a healthy individual?
Less than 1.0 mg/L.
What is the significance of persistently high CRP levels?
Indicates chronic inflammation, infection, or autoimmune disease activity.
Why is the CRP test useful in monitoring inflammation?
CRP is an acute-phase reactant that increases rapidly in response to inflammation and decreases with resolution.
What are the common limitations of the CRP latex slide test?
May yield false positives due to other inflammatory conditions, infections, or improper technique.
What precautions should be taken when performing the CRP test?
Allow reagents to reach room temperature, avoid contamination, use proper controls.
What is the role of glycine saline buffer in the CRP test?
Maintains optimal pH and ionic strength for antigen-antibody reaction.
Why should CRP reagents be brought to room temperature before testing?
Ensures proper reaction kinetics and prevents false-negative results.
How does CRP contribute to disease diagnosis?
CRP increases in response to inflammation, making it useful for detecting disease activity.
What conditions can cause elevated CRP levels?
Bacterial infections, autoimmune diseases, tissue injury, chronic inflammation.
How does CRP differentiate between bacterial and viral infections?
Higher CRP levels suggest bacterial infection, while lower levels suggest viral infections.
What laboratory method is commonly used for quantitative CRP measurement?
Nephelometry, turbidimetry, ELISA.
What are the advantages of CRP testing in clinical diagnosis?
Rapid, sensitive, and useful for monitoring disease progression.
Why should CRP test results be correlated with clinical findings?
CRP levels alone cannot confirm a disease and should be interpreted with symptoms and other tests.
How can serial CRP testing be beneficial in disease monitoring?
Monitoring CRP over time helps assess disease activity and treatment response.
How does hemolysis affect CRP test results?
May cause falsely low CRP results due to sample degradation.
What is the role of CRP in cardiovascular diseases?
Increases with chronic inflammation and predicts cardiovascular events.
Why is hs-CRP important in assessing cardiovascular risk?
Detects chronic low-grade inflammation linked to heart disease risk.
What CRP levels indicate a high risk for cardiovascular diseases?
Above 3.0 mg/L indicates high cardiovascular risk.
How does CRP testing contribute to sepsis diagnosis?
Elevated CRP suggests systemic inflammation, a key feature of sepsis.
What role does CRP play in autoimmune disease monitoring?
CRP levels correlate with autoimmune disease flare-ups and progression.
How does CRP differ from erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in inflammation testing?
CRP rises faster than ESR and is more specific for acute inflammation.
What is the expected CRP response following trauma or surgery?
CRP increases within hours and peaks after 24-48 hours post-trauma.
What is the principle behind latex agglutination in CRP testing?
Antigen-coated latex particles agglutinate in the presence of CRP antibodies.
How is the CRP latex slide test different from nephelometry?
CRP slide test is qualitative, while nephelometry provides quantitative results.
What are the standard laboratory methods for measuring CRP?
Nephelometry, turbidimetry, immunoturbidimetry.
What is the importance of using controls in the CRP test?
Ensures test reliability and accuracy by preventing false results.
What conditions can cause false-positive CRP results?
Obesity, smoking, infections, chronic diseases.
What conditions can cause false-negative CRP results?
Delayed sample processing, improper storage, hemolysis.
What are the disadvantages of the CRP test?
Non-specific, cannot identify the underlying cause of inflammation.
What are alternative biomarkers for inflammation besides CRP?
ESR, procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin-6 (IL-6).
How does obesity influence CRP levels?
Higher CRP levels are associated with increased body fat and metabolic inflammation.
What medications can affect CRP levels?
Anti-inflammatory drugs, statins, corticosteroids.
Why is CRP preferred over leukocyte count in detecting inflammation?
More reliable and faster in detecting inflammation than white blood cell count.
What modifications can be made to improve the accuracy of CRP testing?
Using automated quantitative methods such as nephelometry improves accuracy.
Why should CRP test results be interpreted alongside clinical symptoms?
Inflammation can be present without elevated CRP; correlation with symptoms is essential.
