Version 2024
No Valid Principal Dx

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R79.82

Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP)

ICD-10-CM Code:
R79.82
ICD-10 Code for:
Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP)
Is Billable?
Yes - Valid for Submission
Chronic Condition Indicator: [1]
Not chronic
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
    (R00–R99)
    • Abnormal findings on examination of blood, without diagnosis
      (R70-R79)
      • Other abnormal findings of blood chemistry
        (R79)

R79.82 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of elevated c-reactive protein (crp). The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2023 through September 30, 2024.

According to ICD-10-CM guidelines this code should not to be used as a principal diagnosis code when a related definitive diagnosis has been established.

Approximate Synonyms

The following clinical terms are approximate synonyms or lay terms that might be used to identify the correct diagnosis code:

  • C-reactive protein above reference range
  • C-reactive protein outside reference range

Clinical Classification

Index to Diseases and Injuries References

The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).

Convert R79.82 to ICD-9-CM

  • ICD-9-CM Code: 790.95 - Elev C-reactive protein

Patient Education


C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Test

What is a c-reactive (CRP) protein test?

A c-reactive protein test measures the level of c-reactive protein (CRP) in a sample of your blood. CRP is a protein that your liver makes. Normally, you have low levels of c-reactive protein in your blood. Your liver releases more CRP into your bloodstream if you have inflammation in your body. High levels of CRP may mean you have a serious health condition that causes inflammation.

Inflammation is your body's way of protecting your tissues and helping them heal from an injury, infection, or other disease. Inflammation can be acute (sudden) and temporary. This type of inflammation is usually helpful. For example, if you cut your skin, it may turn red, swell, and hurt for a few days. Those are signs of inflammation. Inflammation can also happen inside your body.

If inflammation lasts too long, it can damage healthy tissues. This is called chronic (long-term) inflammation. Chronic infections, certain autoimmune disorders, and other diseases can cause harmful chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation can also happen if your tissues are repeatedly injured or irritated, for example from smoking or chemicals in the environment.

A CRP test can show whether you have inflammation in your body and how much. But the test can't show what's causing the inflammation or which part of your body is inflamed.

Other names: c-reactive protein, serum

What is it used for?

A CRP test may be used to help find or monitor inflammation in acute or chronic conditions, including:

  • Infections from bacteria or viruses
  • Inflammatory bowel disease, disorders of the intestines that include Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
  • Autoimmune disorders, such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and vasculitis
  • Lung diseases, such as asthma

Your health care provider may use a CRP test to see if treatments for chronic inflammation are working or to make treatment decisions if you have sepsis. Sepsis is your body's extreme response to an infection that spreads to your blood. It's a life-threatening medical emergency.

Why do I need a CRP test?

You may need this test if you have symptoms of a bacterial infection, such as:

  • Fever or chills
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Rapid breathing
  • Nausea and vomiting

You may also need a CRP test if your provider thinks you may have a chronic condition that causes inflammation. The symptoms will depend on the condition.

If you've already been diagnosed with an infection or a chronic disease that causes inflammation, you may need this test to monitor your condition and treatment. CRP levels rise and fall depending on how much inflammation is in your body. If your CRP levels fall, it's a sign that your treatment for inflammation is working or you're healing on your own.

What happens during a CRP test?

A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This process usually takes less than five minutes.

Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test?

Some medicines may affect your results. So, tell your provider about any supplements or medicines that you take, including ibuprofen, aspirin, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). Don't stop taking any prescription medicines without talking with your provider first.

Are there any risks to the test?

There is very little risk to having a blood test. You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly.

What do the results mean?

Your CRP test results tell you how much inflammation you have in your body. But your test results can't tell you what's causing the inflammation. To make a diagnosis, your provider will look at your CRP results along with the results of other tests, your symptoms, and medical history.

In general, healthy people have very low amounts of CRP in their blood. Any increases above normal mean you have inflammation in your body. But labs measure CRP levels in different ways, and they define "normal" CRP ranges differently, so it's best to ask your provider what your results mean.

Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results.

Is there anything else I need to know about a CRP test?

A CRP test is sometimes confused with a high-sensitivity-(hs) CRP test. They both measure CRP, but they are used for different conditions. An hs-CRP test measures very tiny increases in your CRP levels. It is used to estimate your risk of heart disease.

References

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Internet]. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Sepsis; [reviewed 2021 Aug 17; cited 2022 Jun 8]; [about 4 screens]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/sepsis/what-is-sepsis.html
  2. Cleveland Clinic: Health Library: Diagnostics & Testing [Internet]. Cleveland (OH): Cleveland Clinic; c2022.C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Test [reviewed 2022 May 17; cited 2022 Jun 8]; [about 14 screens]. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/23056-c-reactive-protein-crp-test
  3. InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. What is an inflammation? 2010 Nov 23 [Updated 2018 Feb 22; cited 2022 Jun 8]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279298
  4. LabCorp [Internet]. Burlington (NC): Laboratory Corporation of America® Holdings; c2022. Patient Test Information: C-Reactive Protein (CRP); [reviewed 2019; cited 2022 Jun 8]; [about 5 screens]. Available from: https://www.labcorp.com/help/patient-test-info/c-reactive-protein-crp
  5. Mayo Clinic [Internet]. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; c1998–2022. C-reactive protein test; [cited 2022 Jun 3]; [about 5 screens]. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/c-reactive-protein-test/about/pac-20385228
  6. Mayo Clinic: Mayo Medical Laboratories [Internet]. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; c1995–2022. Test ID: CRP: C-Reactive Protein, Serum: Clinical and Interpretive; [cited 2022 Jun 3]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://www.mayocliniclabs.com/test-catalog/overview/9731#Clinical-and-Interpretive
  7. National Cancer Institute [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms: inflammation; [cited 2022 Jun 3]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/inflammation
  8. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Blood Tests; [updated 2022 Mar 24; cited 2022 Jun 3]; [about 7 screens]. Available from: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/blood-tests
  9. Nehring SM, Goyal A, Patel BC. C Reactive Protein. [Updated 2021 Dec 28; cited 2022 Jun 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441843/
  10. Nemours Children's Health System [Internet]. Jacksonville (FL): The Nemours Foundation; c1995–2022. Blood Test: C-Reactive Protein (CRP); [cited 2021 Sep]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/test-crp.html
  11. Quest Diagnostics [Internet]. Quest Diagnostics; c2000–2022. Test Center: C-Reactive Protein (CRP); [cited 2022 Jun 3]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://testdirectory.questdiagnostics.com/test/test-detail/4420/c-reactive-protein-crp?p=r&q=c%20reactive%20protein&cc=MASTER
  12. Testing.com [Internet]. Seattle (WA): OneCare Media; c2022. Urinalysis; [modified 2021 Nov 9; cited 2022 Jun 3]; [about 9 screens]. Available from: https://www.testing.com/tests/c-reactive-protein-crp/
  13. Testing.com [Internet]. Seattle (WA): OneCare Media; c2022. Urinalysis; [modified 2021 Nov 9; cited 2022 Jun 3]; [about 9 screens]. Available from: https://www.testing.com/glossary/#inflammation
  14. University of Rochester Medical Center [Internet]. Rochester (NY): University of Rochester Medical Center; c2022. Health Encyclopedia: C-Reactive Protein (Blood); [cited 2022 Jun 3]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=167&contentid=c_reactive_protein_serum
  15. UW Health [Internet]. Madison (WI): University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority; c2022. C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Test; [updated 2022 Jan 10; cited 2022 Jun 3]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://patient.uwhealth.org/healthwise/article/en-us/tu6309

[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.