HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by García Vázquez, E. Articles by Torres, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by García Vázquez, E. Articles by Torres, A.

C-reactive protein levels in community-acquired pneumonia

Depts of ¹ Infectious Diseases, ² Microbiology, ³ Respiratory Diseases, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain

CORRESPONDENCE: E. García Vázquez, Servicio de Infecciones, Hospital Clínic, C/Villarroel 170 , 08036, Barcelona, Spain. Fax: 34 934514438. E-mail: egarciav@clinic.ub.es

Keywords: aetiology, C-reactive protein, community acquired pneumonia, diagnosis, Legionella pneumophila

Received: August 29, 2002
Accepted October 24, 2002

The diagnostic value of C-reactive protein (CRP) admission serum levels as an indicator of the aetiology of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) was evaluated.

A cohort of 1,222 patients with CAP was assessed. CRP levels were analysed in 258 patients with a single aetiological diagnosis.

The mean CRP values in patients with pyogenic, atypical, viral and Legionella pneumophila pneumonia were: 16 mg·dL^–1, 13 mg·dL^–1, 14 mg·dL^–1 and 25 mg·dL^–1, respectively. CRP levels were not significantly different among patients outcome research team (PORT) groups (19 mg·dL^–1 in groups I–II, 16 mg·dL^–1 in group III and 16 mg·dL^–1 in groups IV–V. A cut-off point of 25 mg·dL^–1 had a sensibility, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 0.6, 0.83, 0.3, and 0.94, respectively. After controlling for age and PORT score, the odds of having a CRP level >25 mg·dL^–1 was 6.9 times higher in patients with L. pneumophila pneumonia than in those with non-L. pneumophila pneumonia.

Patients with Legionella pneumophila pneumonia had higher C-reactive protein levels than those with pneumonia of any other aetiology, independently of severity of infection. Being a cheap and readily available test, C-reactive protein may be a useful adjunctive procedure in the diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. H. W. Bruns, J. J. Oosterheert, E. Hak, and A. I. M. Hoepelman Usefulness of consecutive C-reactive protein measurements in follow-up of severe community-acquired pneumonia Eur. Respir. J., September 1, 2008; 32(3): 726 - 732. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. van der Meer, A. K. Neven, P. J van den Broek, and W. J J Assendelft Diagnostic value of C reactive protein in infections of the lower respiratory tract: systematic review BMJ, July 2, 2005; 331(7507): 26. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Garcia-Vazquez, M. A. Marcos, J. Mensa, A. de Roux, J. Puig, C. Font, G. Francisco, and A. Torres Assessment of the Usefulness of Sputum Culture for Diagnosis of Community-Acquired Pneumonia Using the PORT Predictive Scoring System Arch Intern Med, September 13, 2004; 164(16): 1807 - 1811. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. M. Luna C-Reactive Protein in Pneumonia: Let Me Try Again Chest, April 1, 2004; 125(4): 1192 - 1195. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Almirall, I. Bolibar, P. Toran, G. Pera, X. Boquet, X. Balanzo, and G. Sauca Contribution of C-Reactive Protein to the Diagnosis and Assessment of Severity of Community-Acquired Pneumonia Chest, April 1, 2004; 125(4): 1335 - 1342. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. J Marrie Symptoms and signs plus erythrocyte sedimentation rate or C-reactive protein predicted pneumonia in lower respiratory tract infection Evid. Based Med., March 1, 2004; 9(2): 55 - 55. [Full Text] [PDF]