How to use C-reactive protein (CRP)- Review https://ep.bmj.com/content/early/20 - An CRP alone cannot be used to rule in/out a serious bacterial infection. As with any infection biomarker the clinical context is vital. In children attending ED the CRP level does correlate with the likelhood of serious bacterial infection. - Blood cultures alone only identify around 70-75% of invasive bacterial infections. Serial normal CRPs perform favoruably compared with blood culture alone. - A single CRP measurement demonstrates a poor diagnostic accuracy for bacterial infection in new-borns and infants under 3 monthsof age and should not be used in isolation to guide intial treatment. By Emma Dyer @EmmaMDyer, Tom @DrTomWaterfield, Hannah Baynes @HLB27 #CRP #CReactiveProtein #VisualAbstract #Review #Peds #Pediatrics #Diagnosis #Laboratory #Utility
