CRP and infection: As a result, hsCRP is a useful tool for identifying rheumatoid arthritis patients who would require vigorous cardiovascular prophylaxis in addition to being a disease activity measure. However, CRP is a non-specific marker and may be elevated due to infections, flares, or metabolic conditions, which limits its specificity for cardiovascular risk stratification in rheumatic disease patients. In psoriatic arthritis (PsA), elevated CRP and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) have been linked to increased carotid intima-media thickness and endothelial dysfunction.