Do inflammatory markers go down super quickly on prednisone?

[RiviS7]

Hi, sorry so many questions! I got my bloodwork back checking my esr and crp. My esr went from 44 to 13 and my crp went from 16 to 6., in just 2 weeks. Is that kind of how it goes with GCA? My wbc is up but I think may be from biopsy site. Can anyone share their experience with being suspected of GCA initially. Did your numbers go down quickly or did it take time?

Thank you

Bekah

[PMRpro Ambassador]

There is no simple answer - it depends on the person. They can fall very quickly as yours have done or it may take a few weeks to be really noticeable. To some extent it depends on how much accumulated inflammation there is to stimulate the liver to produce the proteins that cause the markers to rise. Some of us never had raised markers, or the increase was relatively small despite severe symptoms - or vice versa, very high numbers but no worse symptoms than others have,

[piglette]

They can go down quite fast if the inflammation goes away. ESR tends to be a bit slower than CRP though.

[RiviS7 in reply to piglette]

Thank you. Not sure what it means for me. They both went down significantly.

[piglette in reply to RiviS7]

That is quite possible as it was over two weeks. Normally you can get reduction with both in less time than that.

[RiviS7 in reply to piglette]

Thanks piglette. My doctor is weaning me down from the prednisone because biopsy was negative, but I am going to have my esr and crp checked again in a week or 2 to see if numbers going up or staying the same.

[piglette in reply to RiviS7]

The biopsy is not one hundred per cent infallible, the same with ESR and CRP. The important thing is how do you feel? Also some people never have raised ESR and CRP, up to 20%. I have very high ESR and CRP for some unknown reason, after many tests my GP has decided it is just me!

[Carrollee in reply to RiviS7]

I was treated for GCA with a negative biopsy as all the symptoms pointed to it and I was told that the biopsy is only useful if it’s positive. 🤗

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

I started on 80mg with my GCA [having lost sight in one eye] - ESR 68 & CRP 25.2.

Within a week they were down to 62 & 11.7 respectively ,

and then following week to 62 & 2, 3rd week on 60mg down to 6 & 2.4.

As mentioned by  piglette says, my ESR took a longer to get into perceived normal figures and for the rest of my Pred stayed in the teens. … but then I did have proven GCA.

[RiviS7]

Thanks, that does help. I managed to get an appointment this coming Friday with a rheumatologist here where I live, but will still keep CC appointment for possible scans that may need to be done.

[RiviS7 in reply to RiviS7]

I also have an eye appointment this week to see if optic nerve is swollen since I had that 8 years ago when the first round of hell began.

[Manihiki]

the first flare I had they took a long time to go down and my biopsy was negative, I have had small flares along the way but I have just had a major flare confirmed by temporal scan absolutely definitely GCA and facial arteries 75% walls inflamed. 60 mg prednisone and the CRPS were 1. You just can’t predict.

[AtopicGuy]

In addition to all the other factors mentioned, it depends on the drug(s) and dose, as well as duration.

[Myfoe]

All I can say for sure is mine didn’t go down for 11 months I started at 60mg prednisone for a week dropped to 50mg then slow tapper added methotrexate injections at 6 months give or take still had high inflammatory markers but once we added Kevzara they dropped into high normal range within a month I also have many more “good days” now I have felt like the old me several days which has given me hope best of luck to you

[RiviS7 in reply to Myfoe]

Thanks Myfoe. I really see how each person experiences the disease individually both the symptoms of disease and how the medicine effects.