[The laser nephelometric determination of C-reactive protein]

A method for the laser nephelometric determination of C-reactive protein (CRP) is described, using easily available reagents. The upper limits of the reference ranges were determined for newborns and adults. They are 12 mg/l and 27 mg/l, respectively. A comparison with the radial immunodiffusion, which is a widespread method in the clinical laboratory, showed significantly different (higher) values for the laser nephelometry as well as a higher reliability in detecting only slightly raised concentrations. The capillary test proved to be not suitable for the quantification of CRP, but is sufficiently reliable for the detection of sera with pathologically elevated CRP-concentrations.