C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase reactant. CRP is released by the body in response to acute injury, infection, or other inflammatory stimuli. Recent development of a high sensitivity assay for CRP (hs-CRP) has enabled investigation of this marker of systemic inflammation.
CRP and Atherosclerosis
Atheromatous plaques in diseased arteries typically contain inflammatory cells. Rupture of atheromatous plaque is thought to be the mechanism for acute myocardial infarction and acute coronary syndrome. The most common site of plaque rupture appears to be the shoulder region where inflammatory cells are most prominent. Thus the release of acute phase reactants as a response to inflammation have been proposed as a potential marker of an "unstable" atheromatous plaque and underlying atherosclerosis.
Studies have shown a positive association between CRP and coronary artery disease. In a survey of 388 British men aged 50-69, the prevalence of coronary artery disease increased 1.5 fold for each doubling of CRP level (Mendall MA, Patel P, Ballam L, et al. C-reactive protein and its relation to cardiovascular risk factor: A population based cross sectional study. BMJ. 1996;312:1061-1065.)
Multiple prospective studies have also demonstrated that baseline CRP is a good marker of future cardiovascular events (Riker P, Haughie P. Prospective studies of C-reactive protein as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. J Investig Med. 1998;46:391-395.)
It has been suggested that CRP may be a good marker of cardiovascular risk in addition to lipid level.
Storage and Stability:
May be stored at 4 degrees C for short-term only. For long-term storage, aliquot and store at -20 degrees C. Aliquots are stable for at least 6 months at -20 degrees C. For maximum recovery of product, centrifuge the original vial after thawing and prior to removing the cap. Further dilutions can be made in assay buffer.
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