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has been cited by the following article:

• TITLE: Correlation of Serum C-Reactive Protein with Disease Severity in Tuberculosis Patients

  AUTHORS: Mohammad Shameem, Nazish Fatima, Asrar Ahmad, Abida Malik, Qayyum Husain

  KEYWORDS: Acid Fast Bacilli; Serum C-Reactive Protein; Tuberculosis; Directly Observed Therapy Short-Course

  JOURNAL NAME: Open Journal of Respiratory Diseases, Vol.2 No.4, November 14, 2012

  ABSTRACT: Purpose: To study the factors influencing sputum smear conversion including Serum C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and its correlation with disease severity in tuberculosis patients. Method: Levels of Serum-CRP concentrations were deter-mined in 60 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, 30 healthy volunteers and patients in follow-up after completion of antitubercular treatment (DOTS therapy). Results: Serum-CRP levels were found to be significantly higher in smear-positive group as compared with the follow-up patients and smear-negative control group. The values were 43.65 ± 23.68, 9.88 ± 5.23 and 4.04 ± 3.85 mg/L respectively (P Conclusion: Serum-CRP levels are significantly correlated with disease severity in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. Thus these findings from the present study would certainly add new criteria for early diagnosis of TB, which may lead to development of new strategies to treat TB.