C–reactive protein (CRP), an acute–phase protein synthesized by the liver following stimulus by various cytokines markedly increase within hours after infection or inflammation.

A prospective cohort study was conducted in a 30 bed Emergence medical ward in a Hamidiahospital, Bhopal (M.P.) India .patient were divided in 3 groups based on crp at time of admission. in gp 1 crp<1mg/dl, gp2 1–10mg/dl &gp 3 >10mg/dl. The incidence of infection was directly related to the CRP level on ICU admission. [gp1 27.77% vs gp3 73.07% p<.05 ].Hence serum C–reactive protein (CRP) measurement can be used in the early diagnosis of  infection in ICU patients.Follow–up measurements of serum C–reactive protein anticipate the appropriateness of antibiotic therapy.Because the CRP test is widely available and relatively cheap, it is likely to be widely used.