The Role of C-Reactive Protein as an Inflammatory Marker in Pediatric Acute Diarrhea

• Mansour Khamees Faraj

  Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tobruk, Tobruk, Libya

  Author

  https://orcid.org/0009-0001-9212-1517

• Shouroq Salam

  Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tobruk, Tobruk, Libya

  Author

• Randa Hamed

  Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tobruk, Tobruk, Libya

  Author

• Gada Mahamad

  Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tobruk, Tobruk, Libya

  Author

• Salha Hamza

  Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tobruk, Tobruk, Libya

  Author

• Yusra Ibrahim

  Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tobruk, Tobruk, Libya

  Author

Background: In children, particularly those living in low-resource settings, acute diarrhea is still a leading contributor to illness and death. We examined how serum C-reactive protein (CRP) relates to clinical findings, including fever and the passage of bloody stools, among children admitted to hospital. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the case files of 66 children between 1 month and 5 years of age who were hospitalized at the Pediatric Department of Tobruk Medical Center, Libya, between June 2024 and June 2025 because of acute diarrhea accompanied by dehydration, fever, or blood in the stool. History and examination findings, blood tests (CRP and complete blood count), and stool analysis results (fecal red cells, occult blood, and microscopy) were extracted. Results: The children were aged 4 months to 5 years, and 65.2% were girls. Diarrhea was watery in 78.8% and bloody in 21.2%. The most common presentation was fever together with vomiting (42.4%), and symptoms lasted from under 1 day up to 10 days. Fecal red cells of ≥10/HPF and a positive occult blood test were each detected in 7.6% of children, while microscopy showed yeast in 18.2% and ova in 6.1%. Forty-two children (63.6%) had an elevated CRP. CRP was not significantly related to bloody diarrhea (p = 0.955) or to any stool finding, but it rose with body temperature (r = 0.369, p = 0.004). Conclusion: In hospitalized children with diarrhea, CRP on its own is not sufficient to identify the underlying cause, although its level tracks body temperature.

1. Mansour Khamees Faraj, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tobruk, Tobruk, Libya

   Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tobruk, Tobruk, Libya

2. Shouroq Salam, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tobruk, Tobruk, Libya

   Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tobruk, Tobruk, Libya

3. Randa Hamed, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tobruk, Tobruk, Libya

   Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tobruk, Tobruk, Libya

4. Gada Mahamad, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tobruk, Tobruk, Libya

   Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tobruk, Tobruk, Libya

5. Salha Hamza, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tobruk, Tobruk, Libya

   Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tobruk, Tobruk, Libya

    

6. Yusra Ibrahim, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tobruk, Tobruk, Libya

   Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tobruk, Tobruk, Libya

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Copyright (c) 2026 Mansour Khamees Faraj, Shouroq Salam, Randa Hamed, Gada Mahamad, Salha Hamza, Yusra Ibrahim (Author)

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