Serum C-reactive protein levels in patients with sepsis varies according to the site of infection

Introduction

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a marker of inflammation used to monitor the course of infection and inflammatory diseases. In critically ill patients the presence of several confounding factors very frequently covers up the site of infection. We aimed to investigate whether serum CRP levels vary according to the site of infection.

Methods

Patients with sepsis, severe sepsis or septic shock were included. Serum C-reactive protein was measured within the first hours of ICU admission and day 1. Patients were classified according to the site of infection.

Results

One hundred and fifty-eight patients with sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock were included. Main sites of infection were abdominal in 44.3%, the lungs in 39.8%, the urinary tract in 8.2% and the bloodstream in 3.8%. Median levels of serum CRP on day 1 were 11.2 mg/dl, 14.3 mg/dl, 15.9 mg/dl and 20.3 mg/dl, for the lungs, bloodstream, urinary tract and abdominal, respectively. On day 1, CRP levels in patients with abdominal sepsis were significantly higher than in those with pneumonia-induced sepsis (21.6 ± 10.7 mg/dl vs 13.6 ± 10.3 mg/dl, P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Serum CRP concentrations are higher in patients with abdominal sepsis than in patients with pneumonia induced-sepsis.

Figure 1