Sequential determination of C-reactive protein in acute childhood pyelonephritis.

Serum CRP levels ranging between 10 and 200 mug/ml were found in 19 patients with acute pyelonephritis. Treatment with antibacterial drugs, to which the bacteria were fully sensitive, resulted in a rapid decrease of the CRP values and very low or trace amounts were attained within a week. In contrast, cases ineffectively treated and/or reinfected showed increasing or slowly decreasing CRP levels. It is suggested that repeated CRP determinations can be used as a diagnostic tool for the rapid detection of cases of acute pyelonephritis in which treatment is ineffective.