The Role of C-Reactive Protein as an Early Detection of Infection in Closed Fractures Following Open Reduction and Internal Fixation (ORIF)

Surgical Site Infection (SSI) remains a significant complication in orthopedic surgery, necessitating reliable early detection biomarkers. This study aims to evaluate the role of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) on the third postoperative day (POD 3) and its correlation with the ASEPSIS score on POD 7 for detecting early infection in patients with closed femoral fractures treated with Open Reduction and Internal Fixation (ORIF). A prospective cohort study was conducted at RSUP H. Adam Malik, Medan, involving 16 patients selected through consecutive sampling. Data collection included laboratory CRP measurements and clinical wound evaluation using the ASEPSIS scoring system. The results showed that 100% of subjects had normal CRP levels (<10 mg/dL) on POD 3 and achieved "Satisfactory Healing" on POD 7, with a zero infection rate (0%). Statistical analysis revealed no significant correlation between POD 3 CRP levels and POD 7 ASEPSIS scores (), attributed to the homogeneity of the positive clinical outcomes. This study concludes that in low-risk patients without comorbidities, early normal CRP levels are highly consistent with uncomplicated wound healing. CRP serves as a valuable negative predictor of infection when integrated into a multimodal monitoring framework.