A rapid and sensitive automated light scattering immunoassay for serum C-reactive protein and the definition of a reference range in healthy blood donors

The increasing interest in the measurement of serum C-reactive protein in r elation to the risk stratification of patients with chest pain has demonstr ated the need for more sensitive routine methods of measurement, and an acc urate definition of the reference range. We report the determination of a r eference range in serum samples from 491 blood donors using a particle enha nced turbidimetric immunoassay that has been modified to offer better impre cision within the reference range. The median values were found to be 2.40 and 2.20 mg/l for males and females, respectively, with 95th percentile ran ge of 1.20 - 5.20 and 0.40 - 5.40 mg/l, respectively.