BMJ  2005;331 (2 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7507.0-d

CRP should not guide antibiotic prescription in pneumonia

Testing for C reactive protein (CRP) is neither sensitive nor specific enough to be used to guide antibiotic prescription in patients with pneumonia. In a systematic review, van der Meer and colleagues (p 26) included all studies that compared C reactive protein testing with a chest radiograph or a microbiology work-up as a reference test. The authors conclude that with sensitivities ranging from 8% to 99% and specificities from 27% to 99%, testing for C reactive protein is neither sensitive enough to rule out nor sufficiently specific to rule in bacterial aetiology of lower respiratory tract infection.

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Relevant Article

Diagnostic value of C reactive protein in infections of the lower respiratory tract: systematic review

Victor van der Meer, Arie Knuistingh Neven, Peterhans J van den Broek, and Willem J J Assendelft
BMJ 2005 331: 26. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]