Treatment FAQ

trending crp in treatment what disease

by Glennie Labadie Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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CRP is an acute phase reactant, which increases in infectious diseases and non-infectious inflammatory disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematous, kidney or liver diseases [6,7,8].Dec 2, 2021

What infections cause high CRP treatment?

These include:
  • Bacterial infections, such as sepsis, a severe and sometimes life-threatening condition.
  • A fungal infection.
  • Inflammatory bowel disease, a disorder that causes swelling and bleeding in the intestines.
  • An autoimmune disorder such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
  • An infection of the bone called osteomyelitis.
Dec 3, 2020

In which disease does CRP increase?

A wide variety of inflammatory conditions can cause elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, including the following: autoimmune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), lupus, and certain types of inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

When CRP is high what is the treatment?

Statins are the usual course of treatment for high CRP levels. However, diet and exercise may also lower your levels. 8 Choose anti-inflammatory foods such as salmon, tuna, and plant-based proteins.Mar 5, 2022

Is CRP specific to one disease?

The majority of CRP research has focused on the role of CRP and its isoforms on cardiovascular disease and stroke. CRP is used as a clinical marker of inflammation, with elevated serum levels being a strong independent predictor of cardiovascular disease in asymptomatic individuals (40).Apr 13, 2018

What cancers have high CRP?

Accumulating epidemiologic studies have demonstrated the association between elevated CRP levels and the risk of epithelial cancers, such as liver, lung, colorectal, endometrial, and breast cancers.

What is CRP level Covid?

Normally, CRP level in blood is less than 5 mg/L. According to a study that looked at the clinical characteristics of people with COVID-19, a significantly elevated CRP levels (average 20 to 50 mg/L) were seen in COVID‐19 cases.Jul 3, 2021

Can antibiotics reduce CRP levels?

Apart from this correlation with prognosis, we found that CRP kinetics also correlated with the adequacy of initial antibiotic therapy: those with an adequate empiric antibiotic therapy showed a marked drop in CRP ratio, whilst in patients with inadequate antibiotics the CRP ratio was always above 1.0.

Can azithromycin reduce CRP level?

Azithromycin has been associated with reductions in CRP concentrations that were not observed in untreated patients.

What is the fastest way to reduce CRP?

12+ Ways To Lower C Reactive Protein (CRP)
  1. 1) Address Any Underlying Health Conditions.
  2. 2) Exercise.
  3. 3) Weight Loss.
  4. 4) Balanced Diet.
  5. 5) Alcohol in Moderation.
  6. 6) Yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, and Meditation.
  7. 7) Sexual Activity.
  8. 8) Optimism.
Jan 14, 2021

Can CRP be normal in rheumatoid arthritis?

Inflammatory markers such as the ESR or C-reactive protein (CRP) are normal in about 60% of patients with early RA. In a patient with preceding osteoarthritis, radiographic changes can be misleading, especially if those suggestive of inflammatory arthritis have not yet developed.

What is a normal CRP level in rheumatoid arthritis?

Normal C-reactive protein (CRP) levels
C-reactive protein level (in milligrams per liter of blood) in adultsWhat it means
10.0 – 100.0Moderately elevated, which signifies infection or an inflammatory condition such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Crohn's disease, or lupus
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What is critical level of CRP?

According to the American Heart Association and the CDC, a CRP level of less than 1 mg per liter indicates a low risk of cardiovascular disease; 1-3 mg/L indicates moderate risk, and greater than 3 mg/L equals high risk.Feb 7, 2005

Why is CRP used for cancer?

For this reason, CRP may be used to detect cancer recurrence after surgery [ 40 ].

What does CRP do to the body?

Researchers found that in monocyte-macrophages, CRP increases reactive oxygen species and proinflammatory cytokines, worsening oxidative stress in the body [ 2 ]. High CRP levels are a marker of chronic inflammation, found in conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.

What does elevated CRP mean?

Elevated CRP has been associated with obesity and abnormal fat metabolism in both adults and children. It is closely linked with high BMI and total calorie intake [ 11, 12 ]. Higher CRP correlates with lower adiponectin, a protein that enhances insulin sensitivity and prevents hardening of the arteries [ 11 ].

What is CRP protein?

Further Reading. CRP is a protein that helps you fight infections. However, it is also a marker of low-grade inflammation and can help predict your heart disease risk. Keep reading to find out about health conditions associated with high and low CRP.

What causes a blood vessel to make more CRP?

Increased levels of LDL cholesterol in at-risk patients cause blood vessels to make more CRP, which, in turn, helps more LDL -C enter blood vessel cells [ 7 ].

Where is CRP found?

CRP is found in the joint cavity fluid of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and can bind to white blood cells and other inflammatory cells [ 19 ].

How long does it take for gums to lower CRP?

In one study, 6 months of gum therapy lowered CRP levels by about 0.5 mg/l [ 3 ].

What is the risk of CRP?

A meta-analysis that included 160,309 patients without a previous history of cardiovascular disease confirmed that each standard deviation increase in high sensitivity (hs) CRP was associated with increased adjusted relative risk of CAD, ischaemic stroke and cardiovascular death of 37% (95% CI [1.27–1.48]), 27% (95% CI [1.15–1.40]) and 55% (95% CI [1.37–1.76] ), respectively.[14] This same study showed that the magnitude of such risk was comparable with that associated with traditional cardiovascular risk factors associated with the development of CAD, including total cholesterol (16%), non-HDL cholesterol (28%) and arterial systolic blood pressure (35%).

What is the prognostic value of CRP?

The REGARDS study confirmed the prognostic value of CRP in primary prevention for patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease, defined as Framingham coronary risk score ≥10% or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk ≥7.5%).[15] Of the 6,136 high-risk patients in this study, those with high LDL cholesterol (LDL-C; ≥1.8 mmol/l) and low hs-CRP (<2 mg/l) had a lower risk of incident stroke (HR 0.69; 95% CI [0.47–0.997]), incident CAD (HR 0.71; 95% CI [0.53–0.95]), and cardiovascular death (HR 0.70; 95% CI [0.50–0.99]), whereas low LDL-C (<1.8 mmol/l) was not associated with protective effects. These results support the role of inflammation in atherogenesis and plaque instability. In the PRINCE study, assignment to 40 mg/day of pravastatin reduced CRP concentrations by 16.9% (p<0.001) at 24 weeks, regardless of lipid profile, providing evidence of the anti-inflammatory properties of statins in addition to their lipid-lowering effects.[16] However, it is still unknown whether this reduction in CRP levels is associated with a decrease in cardiovascular risk and whether CRP could be used to guide statin therapy.

What is the role of CRP in innate immunity?

Of the various inflammatory biomarkers described to date, CRP has been the most frequently studied.[8] CRP is a member of the family of pentraxins, soluble pentameric proteins that recognise microbial structures and play an essential role in innate immunity. These pentraxins act as pattern recognition receptors capable of recognising pathogen-associated molecular patterns, repetitive structures evolutionarily preserved in microorganisms. CRP binds somatic C-polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae, a polysaccharide that is rich in lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), the natural ligand of CRP.[9,10] CRP also binds to phosphocholine expressed on the cell membrane of apoptotic cells.

Where is CRP produced?

CRP has a pentameric structure composed of five identical 23-kDa polypeptide subunits non-covalently associated in a cyclic symmetry.[9,10] It is produced primarily in the liver as an acute-phase reactant in response to inflammatory or ischaemic tissue damage following the local or systemic production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 or tumour necrosis factor-α by the nucleotide-binding and oligomerisation domain-, leucine-rich repeat- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome.

What are the markers of inflammation?

There is a huge amount of evidence implicating inflammation in atherosclerosis and acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and a variety of circulating markers of inflammation have been examined for their ability to predict either the presence of vascular disease or the risk of vascular events in a broad range of clinical settings.[7] These markers included CRP, serum amyloid A, fibrinogen, neopterin, lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2, soluble CD40 ligand, heat shock proteins, matrix metalloproteinases, myeloperoxidase, pro-inflammatory cytokines and many circulating adhesion molecules. [6] The identification of vulnerable plaques in vulnerable patients using imaging techniques or inflammatory biomarkers is one of the most promising areas of research in modern cardiology and could revolutionise cardiovascular practice.

Is CRP a biomarker of inflammation?

The features that have made CRP an attractive biomarker of chronic inflammation are its long half-life, its stable circulating levels, its minimal circadian variation, and the availability of affordable and validated high-sensitivity methods for its determination.[8,11] CRP is an independent prognostic marker in patients with atherosclerotic disease and in apparently healthy subjects.[12,13]

When does Hs-CRP increase?

Hs-CRP concentrations increase rapidly after ACS, reaching a peak at 48–96 hours, with a progressive return to baseline levels over the following weeks.[41] The measurement of hs-CRP in the acute phase of an ACS may reflect the combination of the low-grade systemic inflammation that triggers the atherosclerotic plaque rupture and the inflammatory response secondary to myocardial ischaemia and necrosis.[19] Patients with non-ST segment elevation MI tend to have more stable hs-CRP concentrations in the acute phase of the coronary condition, given the lower degree of inflammation after myocardial necrosis in these patients.[42]

What is the role of CRP in cardiovascular disease?

The majority of CRP research has focused on the role of CRP and its isoforms on cardiovascular disease and stroke. CRP is used as a clinical marker of inflammation, with elevated serum levels being a strong independent predictor of cardiovascular disease in asymptomatic individuals (40). CRP levels have been linked to prognosis in patients with atherosclerotic disease, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, myocarditis, aortic valve disease, and heart transplantation, suggesting that it has an active role in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease (41). High-sensitivity assays, such as nephelometric assays, are used to detect baseline levels of CRP and patients who are at risk of cardiovascular disease. An individual with a CRP level higher than 3 mg/L has an increased risk of coronary heart disease (42), and this risk increases in those with type 2 diabetes (43).

What is the role of CRP in inflammation?

Evidence suggests that CRP is not only just a marker of inflammation but also plays an active role in the inflammatory process.

How does mCRP work?

The nCRP and mCRP isoforms work in opposing directions to inhibit and induce NO production, respectively. In terms of pro-inflammatory cytokine production, mCRP increases interleukin-8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 production, whereas nCRP has no detectable effect on their levels.

What are the factors that affect CRP levels?

There are many factors that can alter baseline CRP levels including age, gender, smoking status, weight, lipid levels, and blood pressure (13). The average levels of CRP in serum in a healthy Caucasian is around 0.8 mg/L, but this baseline can vary greatly in individuals due to other factors, including polymorphisms in the CRPgene (14). The human CRPgene can be found at 1q23.2 on the long arm of chromosome 1, and to date, there have been no allelic variations or genetic deficiencies discovered for this gene although some polymorphisms have been identified (13). For example, up to 50% of baseline variance in CRP is associated with the number of dinucleotide repeats found in an intronic region of the gene (15).

What is the highest concentration of CRP?

As an acute-phase protein, the plasma concentration of CRP deviates by at least 25% during inflammatory disorders (7). The highest concentrations of CRP are found in serum, with some bacterial infections increasing levels up to 1,000-fold (8).

What is CRP in biology?

Abstract. C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute inflammatory protein that increases up to 1,000-fold at sites of infection or inflammation. CRP is produced as a homopentameric protein, termed native CRP (nCRP), which can irreversibly dissociate at sites of inflammation and infection into five separate monomers, termed monomeric CRP (mCRP).

What is C-reactive protein?

C-reactive protein is a homopentameric acute-phase inflammatory protein that exhibits elevated expression during inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, some cardiovascular diseases, and infection. Evidence suggests that CRP is an important regulator of inflammatory processes and not just a marker of inflammation or infection.

Abstract

Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) trends are critical for monitoring patients’ treatment response following a two-stage exchange arthroplasty for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) of the hip. However, CRP trends are poorly described in the literature.

Introduction

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a common cause of failure following total hip arthroplasty and imposes a great burden on economic and medical resources [ 1, 2, 3 ]. Two-stage exchange arthroplasty remains the gold standard for PJI treatment [ 4 ].

Methods

After obtaining institutional review board approval (102-1846B), we conducted a retrospective review of patients with PJI of the hip who were treated at a tertiary referral joint center between 2014 and 2016.

Results

There were 67 patients in the treatment success group and seven patients in the treatment failure group according to the Delphi criteria. The treatment success group comprised 63 patients who received second-stage reimplantation without an additional surgery in interim period and four who received a spacer exchange followed by reimplantation.

Discussion

The International Consensus on Orthopedic Infections and numerous studies have described CRP trend as a critical parameter for assessing PJI treatment response after the first-stage resection in a two-stage exchange arthroplasty [ 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 ].

Conclusions

This study showed that hip PJI patients with MRSA infection or type 5 CRP, defined as fluctuations in CRP levels that never dropped below the 10 mg/L threshold value, were associated with treatment failure after two-stage exchange arthroplasty.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets used during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

What is the usefulness of CRP in follow up of CAP?

Smith et al. 9 studied the usefulness of CRP as marker in 28 patients who had no obvious response to treatment. They concluded that CRP could be of aid to clinicians. Another study in 53 patients with severe CAP admitted to the ICU also showed that identification of CRP patterns may be of value in follow-up of treatment 8. Recently, Menendez et al. 10 have demonstrated that a persistently high CRP level on days 1 and 3 in follow-up of patients with mild-to-severe pneumonia was independently associated with a higher risk of treatment failure. In the present cohort, patients with an inadequate decline in CRP also had a higher risk of treatment failure; however, this was not statistically significant. These different results may be explained by differences in pneumonia severity of both study populations and addressing absolute CRP values at days 1 and 3 as compared with relative changes in CRP measured on days 3 and 7 in the present study.

What is CRP in CAP?

The determination of the serum concentration of C-reactive protein (CRP) is a rapid, simple and inexpensive procedure and consecutive CRP measurements have become routine clinical practice in the follow-up of patients hospitalised with severe infections 7. However, despite its frequent use, evidence on the usefulness of consecutive CRP measurements for follow-up of antibiotic treatment for severe CAP is lacking. Few studies have addressed CRP kinetics in the follow-up of CAP previously, and these are on a relatively small scale and have not taken aetiology into account 8, 9. A recent study has pointed out that high serum levels of CRP, interleukin (IL)-6 or, procalcitonin (PCT) are associated with a higher risk of any treatment failure 10. However, the introduction of newer inflammatory markers, such as PCT, IL-6 and neopterin emphasises the need to clarify the position of the older and less costly markers, such as CRP 11. To determine the clinical relevance of consecutive CRP measurements in follow-up of antibiotic treatment in patients with severe CAP, the present study examined the predictive value of delayed normalisation of CRP levels for the risk of having received inappropriate empirical antibiotic therapy or developing an unfavourable outcome.

How are CRP levels influenced by steroids?

Interestingly, baseline CRP levels appeared to be influenced by the causative pathogen, antibiotic use prior to hospitalisation and the use of inhalation steroids. Theoretically, baseline CRP levels could be of use in determining aetiology of severe CAP, but the ability of CRP to differentiate in aetiology of severe CAP is low 22. As indicated by the results of the present study and others, CRP levels are influenced by the use of steroids. Moreover, it has been reported that treatment with steroids leads to suppression of CRP production 23. A study by Perren et al. 24 demonstrated that corticosteroids did not influence the time-dependent decline of CRP levels. However, according to the present results, the use of steroids needs to be considered in order to interpret CRP levels in follow-up correctly. Concerning the influence of the causative pathogen on the decay of CRP, a slower decline in CRP levels was observed in the first 3 days of follow-up in L. pneumophila than in other pathogens. This may be due to inappropriate empirical treatment; however, all patients had Legionella antigen test performed within 12 h and patients with a positive Legionella antigen test received treatment for Legionella infection within 12 h. Another explanation may be that L. pneumophila, as an intracellular pathogen, causes a different host response to infection, characterised by prolonged and greater increases of CRP 25, 26. According to these results, the causative pathogens need to be taken into account in order to interpret CRP levels in follow-up correctly. For example, in case of an established L. pneumophila infection, persistent high CRP levels should not be the sole reason for antibiotic switch or additional invasive diagnostic procedures. The results of the present study indicate that a delayed decline in CRP levels is related to inappropriate empirical antibiotic treatment. Conversely, CRP levels returning to normal ranges might indicate that duration of antibiotic treatment has been sufficient, allowing earlier discontinuation of antibiotics or a switch to oral antibiotics. Such a CRP-based management strategy could potentially help in reducing antibiotic usage, costs, toxicity, length of hospital stay and the risk of emerging resistance 8. However, this concept needs to be addressed in further studies.

What is the most frequently indentified pathogen?

An aetiological diagnosis could be established in 137 (47.4 %) patients. S. pneumoniae was the most frequently indentified pathogen in 55 (19.0%) cases. Median (interquartile range) baseline CRP concentrations were the highest in patients with a S. pneumoniae infection (278 (147–390) mg·L −1 ), followed by L. pneumophila (247 (147–390) mg·L −1 ), Haemophilus influenzae (214 (168–313) mg·L −1 ), Saphylococcus aureus (187 (115–330) mg·L −1 ), Enterobacteriaciae (129.0 (53–272) mg·L −1 ), Chlamydia pneumoniae (115.5 (57–317) mg·L −1 ), Moraxella catarrhalis (64.0 (49–165) mg·L −1) and M. pneumoniae infections (49 (27–228) mg·L −1; table 2 ⇓ ). Patients with multiple identified bacterial pathogens had median admission CRP levels of 213.0 mg·L −1. The aetiology of these 12 cases is specified in table 3 ⇓. The median baseline CRP levels were significantly different among the causative pathogens (p<0.01, ANOVA). Patients with unknown aetiology had a significantly lower median CRP concentration on admission than patients with established aetiological diagnosis (140.5 mg·L −1 versus 209.0 mg·L −1; p<0.01). Patients with L. pneumophila infection had a slower, but not statistically significant, normalisation of CRP within the first 3 days of follow-up as compared with patients with other aetiological diagnosis. The decline in CRP levels on days 0–3 was 32.9% in patients with L. pneumophila infection, as compared with 38.6% in patients with pneumonia of other aetiology (mean difference 5.7%; p = 0.58). However, in the second part of the first week of follow-up, the decrease in CRP levels was larger in patients with L. pneumophila infection (48.5%) compared with others (28.5%; mean difference 20.0; p<0.01).

What is appropriate antibiotic treatment?

Appropriate antibiotic treatment was defined as at least one antibiotic covering all of the causative pathogens identified, as determined by the sensitivity pattern in the antibiogram. Guidelines of the Dutch antimicrobial committee (SWAB) were used to determine the appropriateness of antibiotic therapy for each aetiology 18.

What are horizontal lines in CRP?

Horizontal lines represent the median; boxes, the interquartile range; and whiskers, the highest and lowest non-outlier values.

What is early treatment failure?

Early treatment failure was defined as clinical instability (respiratory rate >25 breaths·min −1; oxygen saturation <90% as measured by pulse oximetry; Pa,O2 <7.3 kPa (<55 mmHg); haemodynamic instability or acute alterations in mental state), ICU admission or mortality in the first 3 days of admission 19. Late treatment failure was defined as clinical deterioration or complications including mortality, the need for mechanical ventilation, readministration of i.v. antibiotics after a switch to oral therapy, readmission for pulmonary infection after discharge, or an increase in body temperature after initial improvement in the follow-up period 20. The per cent decline in CRP levels reflects the relative changes in CRP concentrations in the course of time, calculated in relation to the day 0 CRP concentrations. Delayed normalisation of CRP was defined as a decline of <60% in CRP levels in 3 days and a decline of <90% in CRP levels in 7 days.

What is the best treatment for CRPS?

Here is some of the cutting edge research into new treatments for CRPS, or the potential for new ones in the future. 1. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) for chronic pain shows promise. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical procedure that involves implanting electrodes in the brain.

Why do doctors research CRPS?

Doctors and scientists all over the world continue to research every facet of CRPS in order to better understand the condition, and in turn, find a cure. These are some of the studies that we can expect to learn from in the coming years.

How long does CRPS pain last?

For some patients, the condition will go into remission. But others will experience intense pain and other symptoms for months or even years to come.

What is CRPS II?

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic pain and sensory condition. In most cases, it affects the arms and legs after nerve damage occurs. This is classified as CRPS-II. The nerve damage causes the brain to send confusing and incorrect signals that lead to debilitating pain.

What is a movement disorder in which a person’s muscles contract uncontrollably?

Dystonia is a movement disorder in which a person’s muscles contract uncontrollably. The purpose of this study is to understand why people with CRPS often develop dystonia, and if these reasons are different in people with focal hand dystonia.

How long does a mirror group receive therapy?

Patients will be split into two groups (the mirror group and control group). The mirror group will receive mirror therapy for 30 minutes per day in addition to routine treatment.

How to tell if you have CRPS?

While burning and throbbing pain is the main symptom of CRPS, it can come with many other symptoms, including: 1 Swelling of the area 2 Sensitivity to touch or cold 3 Skin temperatures changes 4 Skin color and texture changes 5 Muscle spasms 6 Joint stiffness 7 Changes in nail and hair growth 8 Difficulty moving the affected area

What is the most common cause of acute inflammation in both adult and older subjects?

Infection is the most frequent cause of acute inflammation in both adult and older subjects. C-reactive protein (CRP) is the most used biomarker of inflammation, a …. The physiology of inflammatory response is modified by the aging process and is substantially affected by multimorbidity and disability. Infection is the most frequent cause of acute ...

What is the most common biomarker of inflammation?

Infection is the most frequent cause of acute inflammation in both adult and older subjects. C-reactive protein (CRP) is the most used biomarker of inflammation, and a substantial amount of literature has demonstrated its importance and clinical usefulness in adult subjects.

What is the cut off value for CRP?

The optimal cut-off value for interval change in CRP is 90 mg/dL. This value was 83.9% sensitive and 61% specific. This equated to the lowest negative likelihood ratio of 0.26. While an interval change of >120 mg/dL had a larger positive likelihood ratio in comparison (2.54 vs. 2.15), it is important to reduce false negatives (have a lower negative LR) and therefore not misdiagnose severe acute pancreatitis as mild. We conclude that a CRP rise of >90 from admission to 48 h is the optimal cut-off for predicting severe disease.

What is the absolute CRP of pancreatitis?

The accepted figure by international consensus for prediction of severe acute pancreatitis is an absolute CRP >150 mg/dL within 48 h of admission.21 Although it should be noted that this value was decided when the presence of local complications, and transient (<48 h) organ failure, would have constituted severe pancreatitis. Currently, the revised Atlanta classification would consider this moderately severe pancreatitis; a prognostically distinct subgroup. The severity outcome investigated in this study was persistent organ failure beyond 48 h. The optimal absolute CRP to predict severe disease in our cohort was >190 mg/dL. This result was unequivocal having both the highest positive likelihood ratio and the lowest negative likelihood ratio. This higher threshold results from the re-classification of some cases of severe AP into the moderately severe AP subgroup.

What biomarkers are used in AP?

In addition to clinical scoring systems, numerous individual biomarkers have been proposed as having predictive value in AP: C-reactive protein (CRP), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), haematocrit and interleukins 6 and 8. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 CRP is one of the most commonly used biomarkers as it is routinely recorded, is relatively inexpensive and has been shown to correlate well with severity. 13, 18, 19, 20 Though CRP at time of admission has been shown to be a poor predictor of severity, 10 levels of >150 mg/L within the first 48 h have a high sensitivity for predicting severe disease. 21

How many cases of first incidence AP were included in our analysis?

337 cases of first incidence AP were included in our analysis. ROC curve analysis demonstrated the second day as the most useful time for repeat CRP measurement. A CRP interval change >90 mg/dL at 48 h (+LR 2.15, −LR 0.26) was equivalent to an absolute value of >150 mg/dL within 48 h (+LR 2.32, −LR 0.25). The optimal cut-off for absolute CRP based on new, more stringent definition of severity was >190 mg/dL (+LR 2.72, −LR 0.24).

What are the exclusion criteria for AP?

Exclusion criteria were as follows: patients with incomplete serial CRP data; prior episodes of AP or chronic pancreatitis; post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (as frequently encountered concomitant conditions, such as cholangitis, also lead to elevated CRP). This study was approved by the institutional medical ethics board.

How accurate is the HAP score?

Accurately identifying patients with mild AP who could safely be discharged home would reduce the burden of pancreatitis on hospital resources. The harmless acute pancreatitis (HAP) score aims to identify individuals who will have a benign clinical course. This score is based on clinical examination, haematocrit and creatinine levels. 27 Validation studies show it has a 96–98% success rate in excluding severe disease. 27, 28 The predictive accuracy of both interval change in CRP and absolute CRP for mild AP was investigated over 24, 48 and 72 h. As with severe disease, the optimal timing for the prediction of mild disease was 48 h for both. This is substantially longer than for the HAP score (30 min–1 h). Both interval change and absolute CRP had an acceptable sensitivity and specificity for mild disease. Absolute CRP was found to be superior to interval CRP on ROC curve analysis however this was not statistically significant.

What are the predictive models for AP?

Multiple predictive models and scoring systems have been proposed over the years to predict severity of AP including: Ranson score, Glasgow score, and the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE). 4, 6, 7, 8 These have been showed to have a limited discriminatory ability in predicting mild and severe disease. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Since the revision of the Atlanta classification to include a ‘moderately severe’ pancreatitis group, the utilization of these scoring systems to identify specific disease subgroups may have new connotations and benefits in clinical practice. 12

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