A normal CRP (C-reactive protein) level
A normal level of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood in the UK is less than 5 mg/L.
What is CRP?
- CRP is a protein made by the liver that indicates inflammation
- CRP levels rise within hours of tissue injury, infection, or inflammation
- CRP levels can be used to monitor the activity of diseases like infections, autoimmune disease, and cancer.
What can cause high CRP levels?
- Infections, including sepsis, or most bacterial, viral, and fungal infections
- Autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), lupus (SLE) and ulcerative colitis (UC)
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular disease, like a myocardial infarction (heart attack)
- Major trauma.
How quickly does CRP go up and go down again?
This is summarised in this diagram. It comes down if the cause is getting better.
Note. It starts rising at 4-6 hours.
