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C-reactive protein reference percentiles among pre-adolescent children in Europe based on the IDEFICS study
H Schlenz1, T Intemann1, M Wolters1
1Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology-BIPS, Bremen, Germany.
Insights
This study establishes reference values for C-reactive protein (CRP) in young European children. Findings show CRP levels vary by age and sex, providing crucial data for pediatric health assessments.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Biomarkers
- Inflammation Research
Background:
- C-reactive protein (CRP) is a key indicator of inflammation, vital for diagnosing and monitoring various diseases.
- Limited data exists on serum CRP level distribution in young European children, necessitating the establishment of reference values.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine population-based reference values for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) concentrations in European children aged 2.0-10.9 years.
- To address the scarcity of data on CRP levels in this demographic for improved clinical evaluation.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of hs-CRP concentrations in 9,855 children aged 2.0-10.9 years.
- Data sourced from the European IDEFICS study (2007-2010).
- Stratification of reference values by age and sex.
Main Results:
- CRP values were below the detection limit (0.2 mg/l) in 44.1% of children.
- A slight negative trend in median CRP concentrations was observed with increasing age in both boys and girls.
- Serum CRP levels were marginally higher in girls compared to boys across all age groups.
Conclusions:
- Established population-based CRP reference values can aid pediatricians in clinical practice.
- Elevated CRP levels in children may warrant further investigation or treatment.
- These reference values serve as a foundation for future research on disease risk assessment associated with CRP levels in children.
Objectives:
C-reactive protein (CRP) is involved in a wide range of diseases. It is a powerful marker for inflammatory processes used for diagnostic and monitoring purposes. We aimed to establish reference values as data on the distribution of serum CRP levels in young European children are scarce.
Subjects:
Reference values of high-sensitivity CRP concentrations were calculated for 9855 children aged 2.0-10.9 years, stratified by age and sex. The children were recruited during the population-based European IDEFICS study (Identification and prevention of Dietary- and lifestyle-induced health Effects in Children and infantS) with 18 745 participants recruited from 2007 to 2010.
Results:
In 44.1% of the children, CRP values were below or equal the detection limit of 0.2 mg/l. Median CRP concentrations showed a slight negative age trend in boys and girls, whereas serum CRP values were slightly higher in girls than in boys across all age groups.
Conclusions:
Our population-based reference values of CRP may guide paediatric practice as elevated values may require further investigation or treatment. Therefore, the presented reference values represent a basis for clinical evaluation and for future research on risk assessment of diseases associated with increased CRP levels among children.
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