Grander W, et al. – In this prospective, observational study, researchers evaluated the association of chronic inflammation—even at subclinical levels—with adverse long-term outcomes in 66 critically ill patients surviving to hospital discharge. They determined C-reactive protein (CRP) levels at hospital discharge and 1, 2, and 6 weeks following hospital discharge. All patients were repeatedly assessed for adverse events leading to rehospitalization or death for 1.5 years. The investigators noted that, in critically ill patients, plasma CRP levels decreased during the first week following hospital discharge but remained unchanged during the subsequent 5 weeks. In addition, they found elevated CRP levels compatible with chronic sub-clinical inflammation in more than two-thirds of the patients. Overall, findings revealed an association of persistently elevated CRP levels post-hospital discharge with higher risk of rehospitalization.