Abstract
Regardless of its origin, any condition associated with inflammation is accompanied by an increase in serum C-reactive protein levels. This study compared the results of a rapid test for the bedside assay of C-reactive protein (QuikRead CRP, Orion Corporation, Orion Diagnostica, Espoo, Finland) with those of a standard laboratory assay in samples taken from 231 children aged less than 14years (126 males; median age 4.7years) attending the Emergency Department of Milan University's Institute of Pediatrics because of acute respiratory infection. The two methods showed similar median C-reactive protein levels (standard laboratory assay: 34.7mg/L, range 4–199mg/L; QuikRead CRP: 33.3mg/L, range <8–196mg/L; p=0.779) and a similar distribution of children with C-reactive protein levels of <20mg/L, 20–70mg/L and >70mg/L. This study shows for the first time that the rapid QuikRead CRP test can be performed at the bedside or in an outpatient clinic and, in less than 5min, gives the same quantitative results as those obtained using a more complex routine laboratory method.
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