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. 2017 Apr 28;9(4):206-211.
doi: 10.4329/wjr.v9.i4.206.

C-reactive protein and radiographic findings of lower respiratory tract infection in infants

Maria Twomey  1 , Hannah Fleming  1 , Fiachra Moloney  1 , Kevin P Murphy  1 , Lee Crush  1 , Siobhan B O'Neill  1 , Oisin Flanagan  1 , Karl James  1 , Conor Bogue  1 , Owen J O'Connor  1 , Michael M Maher  1
Affiliations

C-reactive protein and radiographic findings of lower respiratory tract infection in infants

Maria Twomey et al. World J Radiol. .

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the association between C-reactive protein (CRP) and radiological evidence of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in infants.

Methods: All patients aged less than 4 years who presented with suspected lower respiratory tract infection, who received a peri-presentation chest radiograph and CRP blood measurement over an 18-mo period were included in the study. Age, gender, source of referral, CRP, white cell count, neutrophil count along with the patients' symptoms and radiologist's report were recorded.

Results: Three hundred and eleven patients met the inclusion criteria. Abnormal chest radiographs were more common in patients with elevated CRP levels (P < 0.01). Radiologic signs of LRTI were identified in 73.7% of chest radiographs when a patient had a CRP level between 50-99 mg/L. CRP levels were a better predictor of positive chest radiograph findings for those aged greater than I year compared to those 1 year or less.

Conclusion: CRP may be used in patients with suspected LRTI diagnosis to select those who are likely to have positive findings on chest radiograph, thus reducing unnecessary chest radiographs.

Keywords: C-reactive protein; Chest infection; Chest radiograph; Pediatric; Respiratory infection.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors wish to declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Age distribution of patient cohort.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Rate of radiographic evidence of lower respiratory tract infection according to patient age.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Rate of radiographic evidence of lower respiratory tract infection according to patient C-reactive protein levels. CRP: C-reactive protein.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Rate of radiographic evidence of lower respiratory tract infection according to patient age and C-reactive protein level. CRP: C-reactive protein.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Rate of radiographic evidence of lower respiratory tract infection according to patient symptoms and C-reactive protein level. CRP: C-reactive protein.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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