What is significance of CRP when tapering?

[SueQ1944]

Not surprisingly I'm finding this forum to be way more helpful than the medical community. Thank you all for your support. When I was diagnosed with PMR in early Dec. 2016 my sed rate was 35 and CRP 0.3 In January sed rate was 29 and CRP 0.3. My latest (Feb) results were sed rate 23 and CRP 33.7. I have tapered from 20mg pred to 15mg and am ready to start tapering by 1mg. Does the elevated CRP indicate that I will have trouble tapering right now? Please explain what Rheumy is looking at and why. I keep hearing "Rheumy said my blood levels were good". What's "good?" Thanks!

[Annodomini]

Raised CRP can indicate infection/inflammation somewhere else in the body. A bad cold can push it up. Mine has been quite high for some time now but appears to be dropping since I had surgery to clear a chronic infection from one of my sinuses. I don't think it has ever been lower than 11. So don't worry unduly about your CRP level - there could be another explanation for it.

[SueQ1944 in reply to Annodomini]

Thanks Annodomini and PMRpro..........I'll take your advice.

Sue

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Both ESR and CRP are non-specific markers of inflammation being SOMEWHERE in the body. That CRP you quote is raised - but who knows why if it wasn't raised when PMR was diagnosed! Good means the blood markers are within the normally quoted range and stable - but they are only a guide, the symptoms are ALWAYS king.

Are those results from the same laboratory? What is the quoted "normal range"?

If it were me I would stick at 15mg for another few weeks and see what that ESR does - it may fall further - and whether the CRP remains like that or goes up/down. A single raised figure should never trigger a knee jerk response with dose - the levels should be monitored to see if there is a trend. But if the CRP rises further - you shouldn't really taper until you are sure it isn't due to PMR. It could be a chest infection or something else and then tapering might be fine. If it is the PMR doing it, no tapering yet.

[SueQ1944 in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks! Good advice........sue