CRP is an acute phase protein that correlates with inflammatory disease and is synthesized by hepatocytes during the acute phase response by certain cytokines (IL-1 and TNF Alpha and Beta). CRP levels increase dramatically ( up to 1,000 fold) and serve as a useful marker of inflammation in such conditions as bacterial infection, rheumatoid arthritis, viral infections, transplantation rejection, meningitis, myocardial infarction, septicemia, osteomyelitis and others. CRP is also highly correlated to Serum Amyloid A levels. It can be used as a marker for inflammation and also used for monitoring and prediction of future events in coronary artery disease.
