What does the High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein test measure?

Why is High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein measured?

hs-CRP is the validated low-grade systemic inflammation marker for cardiovascular risk stratification in the JUPITER and REYNOLDS Risk Score frameworks. In a female functional health panel, hs-CRP serves dual roles: cardiovascular risk quantification as an independent predictor of major adverse cardiovascular events beyond traditional Framingham risk factors, and a global inflammatory burden marker guiding investigation of occult infection, autoimmune activation, dietary inflammatory load, gut permeability, and adipose-driven chronic inflammation in metabolic syndrome and obesity.

Reference ranges

Standard reference

Low CV risk: <1.0 mg/L; Average CV risk: 1.0–3.0 mg/L; High CV risk: >3.0 mg/L; Acute inflammation: >10.0 mg/L (result may need repeat) # REVIEWER FLAG: Confirm Access Medical Laboratories hs-CRP cardiovascular risk categorisation thresholds — ACC/AHA cardiovascular risk tiers are as above; confirm whether the laboratory applies these tiers in their report or provides a raw numerical value only.

Functional medicine optimal

<0.5 mg/L (functional medicine optimal for minimal cardiovascular and systemic inflammatory risk; ACC/AHA low-risk threshold is <1.0 mg/L). # REVIEWER FLAG: <0.5 mg/L as a functional optimal is not standardised in mainstream guidelines — reviewer to confirm framing.

Units

mg/L

Reference ranges vary by laboratory and assay platform. Interpret in context of the issuing laboratory's stated range.