TY - JOUR T1 - The Story Behind the Acute-phase Reactants JF - The Journal of Rheumatology JO - J Rheumatol SP - 469 LP - 469 DO - 10.3899/jrheum.090991 VL - 37 IS - 2 AU - LUIS M. AMEZCUA-GUERRA AU - DIANA CASTILLO-MARTINEZ AU - RAFAEL BOJALIL Y1 - 2010/02/01 UR - http://www.jrheum.org/content/37/2/469.2.abstract N2 - Physicians usually try to quantify complex biological phenomena through simple laboratory assays. So several tests have been developed to assess the inflammatory response, a nonspecific intricate system of response against different aggressors that includes multiple mechanisms of innate and adaptive immunity. These tests are often used interchangeably or redundantly, on the assumption that all evaluate the same processes. In this vein Crowson and colleagues1 compared the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) to assess inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The authors conclude that it is not necessary to obtain both measures and that, where available, the CRP alone may be preferred for disease activity assessment. In the accompanying editorial2, … Address correspondence to Dr. Bojalil; E-mail: bojraf{at}yahoo.com ER -