Category
Acute phase reactants/inflammatory markers/cytokines

What It Means If Positive
* Non-specific indicator of inflammation

* Can be mildly elevated with obesity, as well

What It Means If Negative
* If normal, significant systemic inflammation very unlikely

Of Note
* Cancer can cause elevated CRP.
* If in the triple digits, consider infectious etiology before autoimmune.
* Of autoimmune diseases:
** SLE not commonly associated with high CRP (usually need to have serositis and/or arthritis to see high CRP with SLE)
** Vasculitides can have infection-level high CRPs.