CRP is a protein that your liver makes. Normally, you have low levels of c-reactive protein in your blood. Your liver releases more CRP into your bloodstream if you have inflammation in your body. High levels of CRP may mean you have a serious health condition that causes inflammation. What do high CRP levels mean? What is CRP test used for? OVERVIEW What is a C-reactive protein (CRP) test? A C-reactive protein (CRP) test measures the level of C-reactive protein — a protein made by your liver — in your blood. Your liver releases CRP into your bloodstream in response to inflammation. When your body encounters an offending agent (like viruses, bacteria or toxic chemicals) or you have an injury, it activates your immune system. Your immune system sends out its first responders: inflammatory cells and cytokines. These cells begin an inflammatory response to trap bacteria and other offending agents or start healing injured tissue. The result can be pain, swelling, bruising or redness. But inflammation also affects body systems you can’t see, such as your joints. You normally have low levels of CRP in your blood. Moderately to severely elevated levels may be a sign of a serious infection or other inflammatory condition. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy Why do healthcare providers perform CRP tests? Healthcare providers typically order a C-reactive protein (CRP) test to help diagnose or rule out certain conditions, including: Severe bacterial infections, such as sepsis. Fungal infections. Osteomyelitis (infection of your bone). Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Some forms of arthritis. Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus). Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Providers also use CRP tests to monitor people after surgery or other invasive procedures to check for infection during their recovery period. A CRP test alone can’t diagnose a condition or where the inflammation is in your body. Because of this, providers generally order additional tests if the CRP results show that you have inflammation. When would I need a C-reactive protein (CRP) test? Your healthcare provider may order a CRP test if you have symptoms of a serious bacterial infection, including: Fever. Chills. Rapid breathing (tachypnea). Rapid heart rate (tachycardia). Nausea and vomiting. Your provider may also use CRP tests to monitor your treatment if you’ve already been diagnosed with an infection or a chronic inflammatory condition. CRP levels increase and decrease depending on how much inflammation your body has. If your CRP levels go down, it's a sign that your treatment for the inflammation is working. TEST DETAILS Who performs a CRP test? A healthcare provider called a phlebotomist usually performs blood draws, but any healthcare provider who is trained in drawing blood can perform this task. The samples are sent to a lab where a medical laboratory scientist prepares the samples and performs the test on machines known as analyzers. How do I prepare for a C-reactive protein (CRP) test? Your healthcare provider will let you know what you need to do to prepare for a CRP test, but in most cases, you won’t need to do anything special to prepare for it (such as fasting before the test). What should I expect after my CRP test? . What is the normal range for a CRP test? Laboratories have different reference ranges for normal C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. When you get your blood test results back, there will be information that indicates what that lab’s normal CRP range is. In general, the normal CRP level is less than 0.9 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Many factors can affect your CRP level. Minor CRP level elevation may be due to the following conditions or situations: Cigarette smoking. Common cold. Depression. Diabetes. Insomnia. Gingivitis. Obesity. Periodontitis. Pregnancy Recent injury. People assigned female at birth and elderly people have naturally higher levels of CRP. If you have any questions about your results, be sure to ask your healthcare provider. What does a high CRP level mean? If you have a moderately to severely elevated CRP level, it probably means you have some type of inflammation. But a CRP test can’t show the cause of the inflammation or where it is in your body. Because of this, your healthcare provider will likely order additional tests if your result shows a high CRP level. How high your CRP level is can mean different things. infections about 90% of the time. What does a low CRP level mean? #mlt #laboratory #medical #crp #protein #medical #viral #medicalstudent #dmlt #lab #lecture #hindi #lab