Cardiac CRP

Label Mnemonic:	HSCRP
Epic code:	LAB150
Downtime form:	Doctor/Provider Orders - Pathology Core and Specialty Care Nursery

Chemistry
6240 RCP
356-3527

Specimen(s):

Plasma

Collection Medium:

Plasma Separator Tube 4.5 mL

Alternate Collection Media:

Call laboratory for additional acceptable specimen collection containers.

Minimum:

3 mL plasma from light green top tube or 1 Microtainer^®

Testing Schedule:

24 hrs/day, 7 days a week, including holidays.

Turn Around Time:

1 hour (upon receipt in laboratory)

Reference Range:

Quintile     CRP mg/L        Risk of Coronary Heart Disease
   1         < 0.7           Lowest Risk
   2         0.7 - 1.1       Low Risk
   3         1.2 - 1.9       Moderate Risk
   4         2.0 - 3.8       High Risk
   5         3.9 - 15.0      Highest Risk
> 15.0 mg/L:  When Cardiac CRP is greater than 15.0 mg/L, risk 
analysis may be confounded by recent or acute inflammatory disease.  
Therefore, the risk for coronary heart disease cannot be provided for 
this patient.  A repeat specimen, taken two weeks after resolution of 
any acute inflammatory condition, may allow provision of coronary risk 
information.

References:
1.  Ridker, P.M. et al. 2000. N Engl J Med. 342;836-843.
2.  Rifai N. and Ridker, P.M. 2001. Clin Chem. 47; 403-411.
3.  Ridker, P.M. et al. 2002. N Engl J Med. 347;1557-1565.

Interpretive Data:

Cardiac CRP is intended for the measurement of basal levels of C- reactive protein (CRP) as assessment of risk of developing of cardiovascular disease or ischemic events. Measurement of cardiac CRP in hospitalized patients and/or those with active systemic inflammatory or infectious processes is NOT clinically useful and will generally produce results that exceed the upper limit of the cardiac CRP assay.

Hemolysis: No significant interference up to an H index of 1000 (approximate hemoglobin concentration: 1000 mg/dL).

Lipemia: No significant interference up to an L index of 600 (approximate triglycerides concentration: 1200 mg/dL). Note there is poor correlation between turbidity and triglyceride concentration.

Icterus: No significant interference up to an I index of 60 (approximate conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin concentration: 60 mg/dL).

Test Limitations:

Significantly decreased CRP values may be obtained from samples taken from patients who have been treated with carboxypenicillins.

Methodology:

Turbidimetric method utilizing latex particles coated with CRP monoclonal antibodies.

CPT Code:

86141

See also:
C-Reactive Protein (CRP), Plasma