CRP

[DeliaGray]

Sorry there was a typo error in my last post. I live in the U.S. I meant to ask if the measurement for a normal CRP level is the same in Britain.? Thanks.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It depends on the laboratory and the units they use. The range is either 0 - 0.5 or 0 - 5 - depending on whether the units are per dl (100ml) or per litre of blood. This just means a difference of a factor of 10. No lab result anywhere in the world means anything without the units and the lab's own "normal range" being quoted but the figures I've just quoted are pretty usual for CRP I think but some labs accept up to 1 (or 10) as the upper level. And some people just have slightly high end levels anyway

[DeliaGray in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you for your help. Our range is 0 - 0.5. Mine on this test had jumped from 0.4 to 1.6. The only other symptoms I have are feeling tired again which I haven't felt since going on to pred 10 months ago, nauseous and night sweats, which also I haven't had since before pred. I had wondered if it was due to my coming off statins as protein and cholesterol are both products of the liver, but my GP just wrote and said , " No way.!" I have just taken my temperature and find I have a slight one, so maybe I have picked up some kind of virus. Maybe I will call for an appointment with my GP since my Rheumy is not in town at present.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DeliaGray]

Hmmm - definitely sounds suspicious and that you have something going on. I do hope it isn't a flare though the signs aren't promising. As I said in the other thread - to get down from 80mg to 13mg in 10 months is pretty fast by UK standards. Some research in the UK published last year showed that there is still evidence of inflammation (in the form of abnormal neutrophils if I remember rightly) even after 6 months of high dose pred (that means above 20mg) and even though the patient has no symptoms. According to the literature, flares of GCA are very common in the first 18 months after diagnosis.

Fingers crossed...