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Original poster

Very high CRP result from DS’s blood test - Hospital said all fine & archived notes!

26 replies

Verbena17 · 03/05/2023 18:16

DS (18) was admitted by ambulance to A&E on 12th March with heart pain.
They did a troponin test, & full bloods, including a CRP test.

The next day before we went home, the doctor discharged him and when I asked for blood results, she verbally told me ‘they’re all normal but you can follow up with your GP if you want’. No notes given to me and I assumed the blood results would automatically be sent to DS’ GP.

So i leave it a week and call GP who say “no, we won’t be sent A&E notes or bloods. You’ll need to contact hospital”. I think it’s a bit odd that the bloods weren’t sent but I called A&E to ask - they said they have no idea!
They said to contact the SARS department and do a medical notes request!

So by the time I worked out how to do it online, it was 2 weeks later. Today, I messaged as I had got nothing back and they instantly sent the results.

All normal…..except for his C-Reactive Protein (CRP) result.
The range said >5.
His result said 47 !!!!!!! The box saying ‘abnormal’ had (H) in it - I’m guessing (H) is high.
So I looked online and saw that a result above 50 is ‘severe’.

Im fuming that they simply archived his medical notes/blood results! They knew his history which is actually heart related and still didn’t bother to send the blood results through.

If I hadn’t made an Access request, there would be no way to know he now needs a repeat blood test to check it’s gone down ok.
Really negligent I feel. So that was mid-March to start of May until we knew blood results. Surely blood results should be sent to GP regardless of whether they’re normal or not- as a record of what was done? 🤔

OP posts:
Greybeardy · 03/05/2023 18:42

the results need interpreting in the context of what he was in for and the rest of the results/investigations - that CRP isn't necessarily a problem (and if he's not suffered any adverse effects in waiting from March to May it suggests it wasn't a problem).

Original poster
Verbena17 · 03/05/2023 18:53

Thanks @Greybeardy . Yeah I guess. Just a very strange system where GP doesn’t get blood work results.
I’ll call GP & ask if he needs repeat

OP posts:
handmademitlove · 03/05/2023 19:09

In our area all blood tests done through the local nhs lab - so whether requested by GP or hospital - appear on the NHS app. It may be worth getting access if he doesn't already as it is useful to have all the results available easily. they generally are flagged if out of range.

Original poster
Verbena17 · 03/05/2023 19:19

It’s a defo no about the app - anything Hancock related…..it’s a no 😉

OP posts:
handmademitlove · 03/05/2023 19:20

Not the covid app - there is a standard app to access nhs records....

GeraltsBathtub · 03/05/2023 19:22

It’s not necessarily a big deal. I’ve always had high CRP on every blood test since I was a teen and I’m absolutely fine.

IheartNiles · 03/05/2023 19:34

It goes up with infection. Did he have an infection? chest infection seeing as he had chest pain?

Original poster
Verbena17 · 03/05/2023 19:36

Ok, I’ll google and see - thanks.

OP posts:
Original poster
Verbena17 · 03/05/2023 19:39

IheartNiles · 03/05/2023 19:34

It goes up with infection. Did he have an infection? chest infection seeing as he had chest pain?

He had a cough but not poorly. Guess it might have been that.
Strange that the really bad heart pain (think tight squeezing heart attack type pain). His heart still hurts but just a general aching.
He had tests on his heart last winter and said seemed ok except for Intraventricular Conduction Delay but they just didn’t seem bothered (cardiologist).

He has an eating disorder (ARFID) and is about 3 stone underweight.
I’ll just chat to his GP and see if they recommend a repeat or not.

OP posts:
TheVanguardSix · 03/05/2023 19:39

Definitely get it repeated at the surgery for reassurance (it will have gone down by now of course, but if it’s still raised, further investigations need doing).

Original poster
Verbena17 · 03/05/2023 19:40

GeraltsBathtub · 03/05/2023 19:22

It’s not necessarily a big deal. I’ve always had high CRP on every blood test since I was a teen and I’m absolutely fine.

Thanks that’s good to know.

OP posts:
sunshineandtea · 03/05/2023 19:40

CRP of 57 isn't astronomical at all. It just means there was some inflammation/infection at the time of the test (but if all other tests were normal and clinically he is fine then there's no need to worry.

Original poster
Verbena17 · 03/05/2023 19:40

TheVanguardSix · 03/05/2023 19:39

Definitely get it repeated at the surgery for reassurance (it will have gone down by now of course, but if it’s still raised, further investigations need doing).

That’s exactly what I was thinking.

OP posts:
TheVanguardSix · 03/05/2023 19:41

Endocarditis comes to mind- heart infection hence the raised CRP.

Original poster
Verbena17 · 03/05/2023 19:45

TheVanguardSix · 03/05/2023 19:41

Endocarditis comes to mind- heart infection hence the raised CRP.

Yes, that also came to my mind.

OP posts:
TheVanguardSix · 03/05/2023 19:47

I also think, given the eating disorder, you should have DC’s heart fully checked out if you haven’t. I’d ask GP to refer to paediatric cardiology. Eating disorders and heart problems are bedfellows.

TheVanguardSix · 03/05/2023 19:48

Oh! I see you’ve been dealing with a cardiologist. Did he/she do any imaging or a 48/72 hour holter?

pbdr · 03/05/2023 20:05

I'm a GP. A CRP of 47 would not get me particularly excited. In patients I have cared for who turned out to have serious infections/sepsis it is typical for the CRP to be well into the hundreds (highest I have ever seen was over 800). 47 is a bit up, he probably had some sort of infection/virus to cause that, but it's certainly not through the roof, and if clinical assessment was satisfactory then I would be putting it down to a self limiting infection in a young person and would not be rushing to recheck unless there were other concerns.

FluffyTrousers · 03/05/2023 20:15

I was admitted to hospital with an infection in December. On discharge my crp was 280. Ward sister was concerned but the consultant was happy for me to go. Another fortnight of antibiotics took the level down to 42.

Dubaibutwhy · 03/05/2023 20:32

Completely agree with @pbdr . No need to panic if he is feeling better and chest pain resolved.

Original poster
Verbena17 · 03/05/2023 21:10

Thanks everyone.

I guess because it was because he does have the eating disorder and he has regular aching in his chest. He had an echo in 2020 but he wasn’t 3 stone underweight then - so if things get worse again, I might ask for another. The eating disorder clinic were concerned about the heart muscle deteriorating if he doesn’t get his weight up and more safe foods on his list.
He has tachycardia (sits at 120) regularly too but the cardiologist didn’t seem worried about that either. On the A&E Night, the ambulance crew waited ages to see if it would come down which it didn’t.

I’m sure the 47 CRP was probs due to his cough and so an underlying infection and that didn’t take long to disappear so hopefully CRP will have come down too.

OP posts:
Original poster
Verbena17 · 03/05/2023 21:12

TheVanguardSix · 03/05/2023 19:48

Oh! I see you’ve been dealing with a cardiologist. Did he/she do any imaging or a 48/72 hour holter?

Yes he had a Zio Patch for 12 days. It just showed the Intraventricular conduction delay

OP posts:
TheVanguardSix · 03/05/2023 22:32

Gosh, that's a pretty serious diagnosis. I'm not a cardiologist of course... just a patient. I too have a dodgy heart. I have long QT syndrome and other problems, so I really feel your DC's plight and your worry! But I'm just wondering: When you say cardiology isn't too worried, do you feel reassured by the cardiologist?

Original poster
Verbena17 · 03/05/2023 22:46

TheVanguardSix · 03/05/2023 22:32

Gosh, that's a pretty serious diagnosis. I'm not a cardiologist of course... just a patient. I too have a dodgy heart. I have long QT syndrome and other problems, so I really feel your DC's plight and your worry! But I'm just wondering: When you say cardiology isn't too worried, do you feel reassured by the cardiologist?

He is one of the lead cardiologists at Papworth so I felt surprised he wasn’t that bothered but DH convinced me it was ok if he said it was.

At the appointment, they only did a 15 sec ECG, which he said wasn’t remarkable but as I had mentioned possible bundle branch block (as suggested by the ED paediatrician after they saw their own EGC the week before), he said it wasn’t RBBB but ICD.

We then went home and I said I want happy with just the 15 sec ECG because DS was unable to climb the stairs without being breathless and was tachycardic just laying in bed at rest -at the time it was going up to 180 in bed). So I emailed him back (we went through Bupa so it was all very fast), and asked that a monitor was done. He said yes of course and so we did it.

Following the RBBB suggestion and also because that last ECG done at the ED clinic had printed out saying ‘abnormal QT’, I also got him to look for that. He said the QT length seemed fine.

I’m still worried about him though- he’s now 18 (I still advocate for him as he’s autistic and won’t speak to health pro’s) and should be putting on weight and muscle but he is 6ft tall and weighs just 8st. He’s only about 75% weight for height - they often tube feed at 77% they told us.

OP posts:
BaffledOnceAgain · 03/05/2023 23:57

Is there a free Cardiac Risk in the Young screening day happening anywhere near you soon? Have a look on their website to find out and take him along for a fresh pair of eyes.