J Clin Med. 2022 Jun 1;11(11):3151. doi: 10.3390/jcm11113151.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Patients who are admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine with apparently normal C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration impose a special challenge due the assumption that they might not harbor a severe and potentially lethal medical condition.
METHODS: A retrospective cohort of all patients who were admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine with a CRP concentration of ≤31.9 mg/L and had a second CRP test obtained within the next 24 h. Seven day mortality data were analyzed.
RESULTS: Overall, 3504 patients were analyzed with a mean first and second CRP of 8.8 (8.5) and 14.6 (21.6) mg/L, respectively. The seven day mortality increased from 1.8% in the first quartile of the first CRP to 7.5% in the fourth quartile of the first CRP (p < 0.0001) and from 0.6% in the first quartile of the second CRP to 9.5% in the fourth quartile of the second CRP test (p < 0.0001), suggesting a clear relation between the admission CRP and in hospital seven day mortality.
CONCLUSIONS: An association exists between the quartiles of CRP and 7-day mortality as well as sepsis related cause of death. Furthermore, the CRP values 24 h after hospital admission improved the discrimination.
PMID:35683538 | PMC:PMC9181046 | DOI:10.3390/jcm11113151