[CRP] C-REACTIVE

Question 1

What is C-reactive protein (CRP)?

Answer 1

An acute-phase protein produced by the liver in response to inflammation.

Question 2

Where is CRP produced in the body?

Answer 2

Liver.

Question 3

What triggers CRP production?

Answer 3

Infections, tissue injury, chronic inflammatory diseases.

Question 4

What is the primary function of CRP in the immune system?

Answer 4

Acts as an early indicator of infection, tissue damage, or inflammatory conditions.

Question 5

What are the clinical applications of CRP testing?

Answer 5

Diagnosis and monitoring of infections, inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and cardiovascular risk.

Question 6

What is the principle of the CRP latex slide test?

Answer 6

Latex particles coated with anti-CRP antibodies react with CRP in serum, forming visible agglutination.

Question 7

What specimen is required for the CRP test?

Answer 7

Serum.

Question 8

What reagents are used in the CRP latex slide test?

Answer 8

CRP latex reagent, glycine saline buffer, positive and negative controls.

Question 9

How is the CRP test performed?

Answer 9

Mix serum with CRP latex reagent and observe for visible agglutination within 2 minutes.

Question 10

How is a positive CRP test identified?

Answer 10

Presence of fine, granular agglutination.

Question 11

What does a negative CRP test indicate?

Answer 11

No visible agglutination.

Question 12

What are the two types of CRP tests?

Answer 12

Standard CRP test and high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) test.

Question 13

What is the difference between standard CRP and high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP)?

Answer 13

Standard CRP detects significant inflammation; hs-CRP detects low-grade inflammation for cardiovascular risk.

Question 14

How is the CRP titer determined in a positive reaction?

Answer 14

Multiply the highest dilution with visible agglutination by the test sensitivity.

Question 15

What is the normal CRP reference range?

Answer 15

0.8 - 3.1 mg/L.

Question 16

What are the expected CRP levels in a healthy individual?

Answer 16

Less than 1.0 mg/L.

Question 17

What is the significance of persistently high CRP levels?

Answer 17

Indicates chronic inflammation, infection, or autoimmune disease activity.

Question 18

Why is the CRP test useful in monitoring inflammation?

Answer 18

CRP is an acute-phase reactant that increases rapidly in response to inflammation and decreases with resolution.

Question 19

What are the common limitations of the CRP latex slide test?

Answer 19

May yield false positives due to other inflammatory conditions, infections, or improper technique.

Question 20

What precautions should be taken when performing the CRP test?

Answer 20

Allow reagents to reach room temperature, avoid contamination, use proper controls.

Question 21

What is the role of glycine saline buffer in the CRP test?

Answer 21

Maintains optimal pH and ionic strength for antigen-antibody reaction.

Question 22

Why should CRP reagents be brought to room temperature before testing?

Answer 22

Ensures proper reaction kinetics and prevents false-negative results.

Question 23

How does CRP contribute to disease diagnosis?

Answer 23

CRP increases in response to inflammation, making it useful for detecting disease activity.

Question 24

What conditions can cause elevated CRP levels?

Answer 24

Bacterial infections, autoimmune diseases, tissue injury, chronic inflammation.

Question 25

How does CRP differentiate between bacterial and viral infections?

Answer 25

Higher CRP levels suggest bacterial infection, while lower levels suggest viral infections.

Question 26

What laboratory method is commonly used for quantitative CRP measurement?

Answer 26

Nephelometry, turbidimetry, ELISA.

Question 27

What are the advantages of CRP testing in clinical diagnosis?

Answer 27

Rapid, sensitive, and useful for monitoring disease progression.

Question 28

Why should CRP test results be correlated with clinical findings?

Answer 28

CRP levels alone cannot confirm a disease and should be interpreted with symptoms and other tests.

Question 29

How can serial CRP testing be beneficial in disease monitoring?

Answer 29

Monitoring CRP over time helps assess disease activity and treatment response.

Question 30

How does hemolysis affect CRP test results?

Answer 30

May cause falsely low CRP results due to sample degradation.

Question 31

What is the role of CRP in cardiovascular diseases?

Answer 31

Increases with chronic inflammation and predicts cardiovascular events.

Question 32

Why is hs-CRP important in assessing cardiovascular risk?

Answer 32

Detects chronic low-grade inflammation linked to heart disease risk.

Question 33

What CRP levels indicate a high risk for cardiovascular diseases?

Answer 33

Above 3.0 mg/L indicates high cardiovascular risk.

Question 34

How does CRP testing contribute to sepsis diagnosis?

Answer 34

Elevated CRP suggests systemic inflammation, a key feature of sepsis.

Question 35

What role does CRP play in autoimmune disease monitoring?

Answer 35

CRP levels correlate with autoimmune disease flare-ups and progression.

Question 36

How does CRP differ from erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in inflammation testing?

Answer 36

CRP rises faster than ESR and is more specific for acute inflammation.

Question 37

What is the expected CRP response following trauma or surgery?

Answer 37

CRP increases within hours and peaks after 24-48 hours post-trauma.

Question 38

What is the principle behind latex agglutination in CRP testing?

Answer 38

Antigen-coated latex particles agglutinate in the presence of CRP antibodies.

Question 39

How is the CRP latex slide test different from nephelometry?

Answer 39

CRP slide test is qualitative, while nephelometry provides quantitative results.

Question 40

What are the standard laboratory methods for measuring CRP?

Answer 40

Nephelometry, turbidimetry, immunoturbidimetry.

Question 41

What is the importance of using controls in the CRP test?

Answer 41

Ensures test reliability and accuracy by preventing false results.

Question 42

What conditions can cause false-positive CRP results?

Answer 42

Obesity, smoking, infections, chronic diseases.

Question 43

What conditions can cause false-negative CRP results?

Answer 43

Delayed sample processing, improper storage, hemolysis.

Question 44

What are the disadvantages of the CRP test?

Answer 44

Non-specific, cannot identify the underlying cause of inflammation.

Question 45

What are alternative biomarkers for inflammation besides CRP?

Answer 45

ESR, procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin-6 (IL-6).

Question 46

How does obesity influence CRP levels?

Answer 46

Higher CRP levels are associated with increased body fat and metabolic inflammation.

Question 47

What medications can affect CRP levels?

Answer 47

Anti-inflammatory drugs, statins, corticosteroids.

Question 48

Why is CRP preferred over leukocyte count in detecting inflammation?

Answer 48

More reliable and faster in detecting inflammation than white blood cell count.

Question 49

What modifications can be made to improve the accuracy of CRP testing?

Answer 49

Using automated quantitative methods such as nephelometry improves accuracy.

Question 50

Why should CRP test results be interpreted alongside clinical symptoms?

Answer 50

Inflammation can be present without elevated CRP; correlation with symptoms is essential.