The C – reactive protein or PCR originates in the liver and is distributed throughout the bloodstream. A healthy person presents values of this protein below 10 mg / l; on the other hand, if its concentration exceeds this amount, it usually indicates inflammation in the body. In older people, the average level of CRP may be slightly elevated, so it must be considered for a correct diagnosis.
Regardless of the reason, an inflammatory process is triggered, and the body will act by producing high amounts of C-reactive protein as an immune response to detect the damage. Once the synthesis of this protein has been stimulated, its maximum point will be observed at 24-72 hours, remaining constant until normalizing again in a week generally. Even when elevated levels indicate a health problem, they do not allow us to know the cause or where the inflammation originates. Therefore, in this FastlyHealarticle, we want you to know everything about high C-reactive protein: its causes and associated conditions.
Table of Contents
Severe trauma that produces high C-reactive protein
When a severe trauma injury, such as extensive burns, the body reacts with the inflammatory process, and the proteins of healthy muscle tissue are degraded to amino acids; these will be used to produce acute-phase proteins, mainly C-reactive protein, to counteract the damage.
The amount of synthesized CRP will depend on the degree of the injury and can even be higher than 1,000 mg / l in the first two days. Although there are injuries that are seen with the naked eye, it is likely that many are internal and go unnoticed, so having a C-reactive protein level test after trauma will help to provide adequate treatment.
Infectious diseases favor high CRP.
Infectious diseases is another cause of high C-reactive protein because having an external agent; the body stimulates the production of these proteins to combat the damage that is occurring. Some of the pathologies that cause this condition can be:
- Pneumonia
- Bronchitis
- Tuberculosis
- Septicemia
- Cystitis
- Meningitis
Infectious diseases generally raise CRP between 10-100 mg / l, but if it is higher than this amount, it is considered a severe infection. Likewise, due to its efficiency as an indicator, it is also used in people with recent surgeries to detect possible infections due to their low defenses or as a complication of the operation. However, moderately elevated C-reactive protein levels are usually present after surgery, but it returns to normal on their own within a few days.
Inflammatory diseases increase the amount of C-reactive protein.
Although the high concentration of C-reactive protein does not by itself indicate the possible origin, it can give us an idea of the probable cause since moderate values between 10-100 mg / l usually correspond to the presence of inflammatory disease, for example:
- Rheumatic fever
- Crohn’s disease
- Vasculitis
- Acute pancreatitis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
It is also helpful to know the amount of CRP in patients with already diagnosed inflammatory diseases to monitor them, verify that they are controlled, or estimate the degree of inflammation or lesions that it is producing.
Heart problems increase the level of C-reactive protein.
The high CRP may also be generated by cardiac disorders; levels above 10 mg / l could indicate risks of cardiovascular disease.
Although the study of CRP is mainly performed to follow up on a diagnosed heart disease or after an acute myocardial infarction to estimate the extent of necrosis or other damage, it is also possible that it helps in the prognosis of the development of a disorder heart disease, such as coronary syndromes, peripheral artery disease, sudden cardiac death, or another heart disease.
Other causes of high C-reactive protein
Elevated C-reactive protein could also indicate the presence of neoplasms, such as prostate cancer or brain tumors, and the degree of this increase can vary for each type of neoplasm. As there is a systemic inflammatory response to this disease, the stimulus for the production of CRP is also received, and it increases with the evolution of the pathology.
On the other hand, in women, there are other less alarming causes if it results in high C-reactive protein, especially if they are in the second half of pregnancy, consume oral contraceptive pills, or are under postmenopausal hormone replacement treatment since hormonal changes they can alter the concentration of this protein and are not necessarily related to inflammatory processes or tissue damage. However, other tests must be done to rule out any possible cause of the abnormality.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
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I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.