Table 1.

Decision rules on the evidence-base for CRP testing in acute pediatric infections and neonatal sepsis

Infection Type	Evidence-Based CRP testing	Non-Evidence-Based CRP testing	Highest available Level of Evidence
Fever without focus	___	Baseline &/or follow up testing in patients with fever without focus who are >28 days of age	Level I (SR)
Pneumonia	___	Baseline &/or follow up testing in febrile children with respiratory symptoms and an admission diagnosis of bronchitis, bronchiolitis, asthma, or pneumonia	Level I (SR)
Urinary tract infections (UTI)	Baseline &/or follow up testing in febrile pyelonephritis	Baseline testing in febrile infants suspected to have UTI	Level III & IV (Cross-sectional & retrospective studies)
Acute gastroenteritis	___	Baseline &/or follow up testing in febrile or non-febrile acute gastroenteritis	No evidence
Meningitis	___	1. Baseline testing in febrile children suspected to have meningitis	Level IV (Retrospective studies)
		2. Follow up testing in febrile children with meningitis
Acute osteomyelitis/Septic arthritis	Baseline &/or follow up testing in acute osteomyelitis &/or septic arthritis	___	Level IV (Case series)
Acute appendicitis	Baseline &/or follow up testing in acute appendicitis	___	Level IV (Cross-sectional studies)
Acute otitis media	___	Baseline &/or follow up testing in acute otitis media	Level II (Cross-sectional studies)
Cellulitis	___	Any baseline or follow up testing in patients with any of those infections	No evidence
Acute sinusitis
Tonsillitis
Neonatal sepsis	Testing on three consecutive days of a suspected sepsis episode	A single determination of CRP	Level I (SR)