Maternal C-reactive protein for detection of chorioamnionitis: an appraisal

Premature delivery is still a significant problem in obstetrics, and chorioamnionitis is an unwelcome complication. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a circulating marker of low-grade inflammation and the role of its measurement in clinical practice remains unclear for many conditions. It has been claimed that estimation of CRP is helpful in the diagnosis of chorioamnionitis, and this study aims to appraise such claims. Following review of the literature, six reports were recruited for further metanalysis, including 466 cases. The overall prevalence of chorioamnionitis was 41% (191/466). The overall diagnostic activity showed sensitivity, specificity, false-positives and false-negatives of 72.8%, 76.4%, 23.6% and 27.2%, respectively. Therefore, we can conclude that estimation of maternal CRP is not helpful in the detection of chorioamnionitis, compared with standard investigations.