High CRP

Question

Dear Expert team,

My son’s (30 years old, CF, diabetes) CRP value is between 100 and 200 on a regular basis. His attending physician does not have an explanation for this. He says this level would be atypical of CF and that he has never seen it in his practice before. In the course of an i.v., the value drops to around 30 but then rises again rapidly. Severe inflammatory anemia is also connected with this (haemoglobin 9.2). Is there an explanation?

Kind regards,
Gerda Schmitt

Answer

Hello,

CRP, the C-reactive protein, is a so-called acute-phase protein. Among other things, it is used as an unspecific inflammation parameter for the assessment of the severity of inflammatory diseases. CRP is present even in healthy people’s blood. In adults, values of up to 10 mg/l (milligram per liter) or 1 mg/dl (milligram per deciliter) are considered normal. Since you did not specify any units in your question, a normal value of up to 10 mg/l can be assumed.

Generally, the extent of the rise in CRP can provide a hint to the severity of the disease. As you describe in your question, further tests have already been performed with your son. It seems sensible to rule out other chronic diseases such as, for example, a rheumatic disease or a chronic intestinal disease. Also, the anemia you mention in your first question could be a hint to a chronic inflammatory disease that need not necessarily be linked to CF.

Prior to a possible therapy, extensive diagnostics should be performed, which should be coordinated by the CF center in charge.

I hope I could help you with this answer.

Kind regards
Dr. med. Wolfgang Gleiber.

24.03.2009