－基礎と臨床応用－
CRP (C reactive protein) —Basics and Clinical Application of CRP—
感染症診療においては感染臓器，感染微生物，抗微生物薬の必要性，さらには重症度を正確に判断することが重要である。そのためには炎症の程度を正確に把握することが必須であるが，入念な診察を行ったとしても炎症の的確な把握が困難な場合も散見される。よって簡便かつ精度の高い炎症マーカーが望まれており，これまでにも様々な炎症マーカーが開発されてきたが，単独で感染症の診断・予後予測・効果判定すべてに有用なバイオマーカーは存在しない。ただしCRPは，迅速，安価かつ臨床経過をバランスよく反映するバイオマーカーとして感染症診療において有用と考えられ，さらにCRP産生の機序を理解したうえでその弱点を理解すれば，日常診療において大いに利用価値があるものと考える。
Accurate identification of infected organs, an infecting organism, the necessity of an antimicrobial and the degree of severity is important for the treatment of infection, for which it is essential to understand accurately the severity of inflammation. However, even if doctors perform careful evaluations, we occasionally come across the cases in which it is difficult to understand exactly the inflammation. These situations require a simple and accurate inflammatory marker. Although many inflammatory markers have been developed, there is no biomarker useful by itself for all of diagnosis, prognostic prediction, response evaluation. CRP is considered to be useful in the treatment of infection as a biomarker that reflects the clinical course rapidly, at a low cost and in a balanced manner. Moreover, if we understand the mechanism of CRP production and its weak point, it has a great deal of potential in the daily medical practice.