A novel case of impaired C-reactive protein response following open-heart surgery: A case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) is expected to increase in response to a range of inflammatory stimuli such as infections or extensive tissue trauma.

Case report: We present a novel case of severely impaired CRP response following NSTEMI, influenza A infection and open-heart surgery in which serum CRP concentrations remained < 1 mg/L during an observational period of 28 days.

Conclusion: To our knowledge, no previous publications exists describing patients with a lack of CRP response following cardiothoracic surgery. We believe this to be a novel finding warranting further investigations regarding the etiology and prevalence of this phenomenon.

Keywords: Absent CRP response; Acute phase response; C-reactive protein; Deficient CRP response; Impaired CRP response; Postoperative CRP response; Postoperative acute phase response.