The association between CRP and mortality is in keeping with population-based studies examining all-cause mortality2 17 and cardiovascular mortality,5 as well as hospital-based studies of patients with specific diseases including COPD,18 diabetes,19 chronic kidney disease,8 20 pneumonia6 and cancer.21 22 The research reported here demonstrates that this association is also seen in a primary care setting and over the shorter term. Here, CRP is linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.