C-reactive protein (CRP) test, is mainly conducted for patients who are hospitalised for Covid virus treatment, but a large number of doctors are recommending the same test even to those Covid positive patients who are in home isolation with moderate to mild symptoms.
CRP is not a diagnostic test but it has prognostic value. Then, why are doctors recommending it to patients in home isolation?
What is a CRP test?
It is a blood test and it tells about inflammation level in the body during any ailment and indicates about the infection level. It can be done for any ailment. The higher value of CRP level than the normal level indicates that the infection is increasing. CRP tests is a marker which shows the level of C-reactive protein, which is made by the liver, in the blood.
Why is it recommended for the treatment of Covid patients?
Doctors are conducting it mandatorily for the patients with critical conditions who are in hospital care, because it is one of the indicators showing the body’s reaction to the ongoing treatment.

“If the CRP, which is also recommended in the guidelines for Covid treatment, is normal then the patient’s body is reacting to the treatment positively and if it is higher than the required, then doctors need to check the infection level in the body through other tests like CT scan,” said Doctor SS Johal, who runs a hospital in Jalandhar and also has Level-3 facility for the treatment of Covid patients.
“It is recommended for those in home isolation too if they do not show any improvement in their symptoms even after the passing of a week or so,” he added.
