Changes in concentrations of C-reactive protein in serum after kidney or heart transplantation.

C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations were serially determined in serum after kidney or heart transplantation. The initial postsurgical CRP response in these patients was compared with that of control patients undergoing related procedures but not subjected to immunosuppressive therapy. Immunosuppression clearly depressed the postsurgical CRP response in transplant recipients. The effect is greatest with the administration of cyclosporine. In addition, we found serial CRP determinations to be a sensitive indicator of renal but not cardiac allograft rejection. The specificity of CRP as such a predictor was affected by non-rejection-based inflammation. We conclude that serial determination of CRP, interpreted by the extent by which its concentration increases between sequential samples, may be a useful adjunct to biochemical monitoring of renal transplants, but a similar approach to monitoring heart transplants is not possible.