CRP and rheumatoid arthritis: For example, increases in inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and cytokines such as TNF-alpha and IL-18 have been described in diverse conditions ranging from organ degenerative conditions such as heart failure [79,80], kidney failure [81,82], and liver failure [83,84] to autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis [85] and Crohn's Disease [86], to healthy aging [87,88].