There are several clinical laboratory blood tests that indicate the existence of organic inflammation. One of the most sensitive is CRP and its congener hs-CRP.
PCR is the acronym for C-Reactive Protein.
C-reactive protein is produced in the liver.
Its blood concentration is very low in healthy individuals. In elderly people, and due to age, its value may rise slightly.
The normal CRP value is up to 0.1 mg/dL or 1mg/L
When there is an inflammatory process, the liver increases the production of C-reactive protein and its blood concentration rises.
Whatever its cause, inflammation always causes an increase in blood CRP.
Therefore, an increase in CRP indicates that there is organic inflammation but does not allow us to know the location or cause of this inflammation.
However, it is known that:
CRP between 0.1 mg/dL and 1.0 mg/dL
These are moderately high values and are associated with mild systemic or localized inflammatory processes.
CRP greater than 1.0 mg/dL
These are very high values and tend to correspond to clinically relevant inflammations often associated with acute bacterial infections.
Acute inflammation versus chronic inflammation
When CRP is elevated during an acute inflammatory process, its value consistently follows the evolution of the clinical situation. After a period of a few days, the elevated values begin to decline and return to healthy, low-normal levels, when the inflammatory process no longer exists.
But when CRP remains high, even if moderately high – between 0.3 and 1.0 mg/dL – this fact reveals the presence of a chronic inflammatory process.
If there are no other clinical signs of inflammation, we may be looking at silent, possibly chronic, systemic inflammation.
hs-CRP
To assess the cardiovascular risk derived from silent inflammation, there is another more specific analysis, the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein: hs-CRP High-sensitivity CRP is currently considered a risk biomarker for coronary disease.
hs-CRP values for cardiovascular risk should be expressed in mg/L
Low risk less than 1 mg/L
Intermediate risk between 1-3 mg/L
High risk greater than 3 mg/L
Want to know if you have silent inflammation? Measure your hs-CRP
As silent inflammation is a common mechanism for the insidious and long-lasting development of not only cardiovascular diseases but most chronic degenerative diseases, measuring CRP levels and, more accurately, hs-CRP evidences the presence of silent systemic inflammation. Its decrease reveals the effectiveness of adopting corrective and preventive measures.
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