C-Reactive Protein versus Chest Computerized Tomography in Follow up The Severity of Corona Virus Disease Patients in Suez Canal University Hospital

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which happens due to SARS-CoV-2, rapidly evolved into a global health emergency with high morbidity and mortality. Identifying reliable, accessible markers to monitor disease severity remains a clinical challenge. Both C-reactive protein (CRP), which is an acute-phase reactant, and chest computed tomography (CT) have been investigated as tools for assessing progression and guiding management.
Objective: This review article aimed to compare the value of serum CRP levels with chest CT findings in evaluating and following the severity of COVID-19 among hospitalized patients at Suez Canal University Hospital.
Methods: We used Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, and other internet databases for relevant literature with emphasis on studies addressing the pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the inflammatory role of CRP, and radiological manifestations on chest CT. Data were synthesized to highlight diagnostic accuracy, prognostic value, and the complementary role of these two modalities in patient monitoring. Due of lack of translation-related sources, documents in languages other than English were excluded. Also, works in progress, unpublished publications, abstracts from conferences, and dissertations that did not form part of broader scientific investigations were excluded.
Conclusion: CRP was consistently elevated in patients with severe disease and correlated with adverse outcomes such as respiratory failure, cardiovascular complications, and sepsis. Serial CRP measurements often preceded radiological worsening, making it a sensitive early marker of progression. Chest CT demonstrated characteristic ground-glass opacities, consolidations, and vascular changes that reflected the extent of pulmonary involvement and disease stage. CT severity scores paralleled CRP levels and clinical status, although routine CT use was limited by resource constraints and infection-control considerations. CRP is a cost-effective, practical biomarker for early risk stratification and follow-up in COVID-19, while chest CT remains valuable in selected scenarios, particularly for unexplained clinical deterioration and complication assessment. A combined approach enhances patient monitoring.