ABSTRACT
The plasma protein changes accompanying inflammation were first recognized by Von den Velden, who, in a report in 1914, described an increase in plasma fibrinogen following experimental inflammation in animals. The rate of increase in plasma concentrations and incremental change following the inflammatory stimulus varies considerbly between the acute phase proteins. The changes seen in the plasma will also reflect the molecular size, volume of distribution, and catabolic rate of the proteins. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate remains the most widely used method for detecting and monitoring the acute phase response. There have been many modifications to the method over the years, from automation to disposable blood tubes. C-reactive protein (CRP) changes are the most widely used of the acute phase proteins, and hence there is a large database of serum CRP changes in inflammation.
