Role of C- reactive protein as an inflammatory marker in sputum smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients

Abstract

Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis is associated with local inflammation of the lung tissue andincreases the
levels of the inflammatory markers. C – Reactive protein is an important inflammatory marker during
pulmonarytuberculosis. The aims of our study were measuringserum CRP level in sputum smear-positive
pulmonary tuberculosis patients at the start and end of the intensive phase of anti-tubercular therapy (ATT)
along with correlation between sputum smear grading and serumCRP level at the start and end of intensive
phase of ATT.
 Methods: This was aprospective cohort study and60 patientswithsputum smear-positive pulmonary
tuberculosiswere taken. Serum CRP level and sputum smear grading wasdone at the start and end of the
intensive phase of ATT.
Results: SerumCRP level before the start and at end of intensive phase of ATT showed mean of 11.72 ± 5.53
mg/dl (males - 11.01 ± 5.25, females - 12.77 ± 5.89) and 2.69 ± 1.81mg/dl(males -2.66 ± 1.87, females - 2.72
± 1.75), respectively. On statistical analysis, the p-value was <0.001, thus making it statically significant.There
was no correlation found between sputum AFB grading and CRP levels.
Conclusion: Serum CRP levels in sputum positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients showed a downward trend at
the end of the intensive phase of anti-tubercular therapy; explained that a decrease in the levels due to control in
the inflammatory process with treatment. Serum CRP level can be used as a follow-up biomarker in pulmonary
tuberculosis.