C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase reactant that markedly increases in response to inflammation or infection, such as in acute osteomyelitis. Its levels rise rapidly within hours of infection onset and decrease quickly with effective treatment, making it a sensitive marker for monitoring disease activity. Elevated CRP helps distinguish bacterial osteomyelitis from other causes of bone pain and inflammation. In contrast, markers like serum amylase, troponin I, and bilirubin are unrelated to bone infections and do not reflect inflammatory changes in osteomyelitis. Therefore, CRP is the preferred laboratory marker to detect and follow acute osteomyelitis.

Reference: Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, Kumar, Abbas, Aster, 10th Edition.