High Sensitive CRP (hsCRP)

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a blood test that measures low levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of systemic inflammation. It helps assess cardiovascular risk: under 1 mg/L is low risk, 1–3 mg/L moderate risk, and over 3 mg/L high risk. Elevated hs-CRP can reflect infection, chronic inflammation, or increased heart disease risk and should be interpreted with other clinical findings.

High hs-CRP isn’t a disease itself but a blood marker of inflammation. It can often be lowered by treating the underlying cause and adopting lifestyle changes—weight loss, regular exercise, a healthy diet, quitting smoking—and, when needed, medications such as statins or targeted anti-inflammatory therapy. With appropriate treatment and follow-up, levels can normalize, but ongoing management and monitoring are usually required.

Elevated hs‑CRP occurs with many acute and chronic infections: bacterial (pneumonia, sepsis, urinary tract infections, cellulitis, osteomyelitis, endocarditis), viral (influenza, COVID‑19, viral hepatitis), chronic infections like tuberculosis, and fungal or parasitic infections. Levels generally rise with greater inflammatory burden and severity; hs‑CRP is nonspecific and must be interpreted with clinical context and other tests.

C-reactive protein (CRP) rises in pregnancy due to normal inflammatory changes and from infections (urinary tract infection, chorioamnionitis), placental problems, or systemic inflammation. Conditions like pre-eclampsia, preterm labor, obesity, gestational diabetes, autoimmune disease, periodontal disease, smoking, and recent surgery or trauma can also elevate CRP. Persistent high CRP warrants clinical assessment.

High-sensitivity CRP is a nonspecific inflammation marker and can be raised in many cancers. Elevated hs-CRP is often seen with lung, colorectal, pancreatic, gastric (stomach), liver (hepatocellular), ovarian, renal (kidney) and breast cancers, and in hematologic malignancies such as lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Levels reflect tumor-related inflammation and are not diagnostic on their own.

High CRP means elevated C‑reactive protein, a marker of inflammation. It can indicate acute infection or a flare of inflammatory disease; mildly raised CRP may reflect low‑grade inflammation or increased cardiovascular risk, while very high levels suggest serious infection or systemic inflammation. CRP itself isn’t a diagnosis — seriousness depends on cause and level, so clinical assessment and tests are needed to guide treatment.