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Test Code Billings Clinic: 8815 C-Reactive Protein (CRP), Plasma or Serum

Important Note

CRP is not a substitute for traditional cardiovascular risk factors. This CRP assay is an off-label/unapproved method for cardiovascular risk assessment/stratification.

 

Performing Laboratory

Billings Clinic Laboratory: Chemistry

Useful For

  • Detecting systemic inflammatory processes
  • Detecting infection and assessing response to antibiotic treatment of bacterial infections
  • Differentiating between active and inactive disease forms with concurrent infection

Note: Screening the entire adult population is not recommended. Acute coronary syndrome management should not depend on CRP measurements. CRP is not a substitute for traditional cardiovascular risk factors. CRP is also increased in injury, fever, and infection.

Methodology

Turbidimetric/Immunoturbidimetric

Specimen Requirements

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Serum or plasma should be physically separated from cells as soon as possible with a maximum limit of two hours from the time of collection.

 

Plasma

  • Draw blood in a green-top (lithium heparin) tube(s).
  • Spin down and send 0.5 mL of heparinized plasma frozen.

 

Serum

  • Draw blood in a plain, red-top tube(s) or a serum gel tube(s).
  • Spin down and send 0.5 mL of serum frozen

Storage/Stability

Specimen Type Temperature Time
Plasma, Serum Refrigerated (preferred) 3 days
  Frozen 6 months

 

Reject Due To

  • Specimens received outside of the required storage and stability requirements

Reference Values

0 - 2 months:                 0.0 - 0.9 mg/dL

2 months - 150 years:   0.0 - 1.0 mg/dL

Day(s) Test Set Up

Daily

Test Classification and CPT Coding

86140 - C-reactive protein

LOINC Code Information

Reporting Name LOINC Code
C-Reactive Protein 1988-5