Negative acute-phase reactants do what?

• A. Increase by 25%
• B. Decrease by 25%
• C. No change
• D. Fluctuate

Answer: (B)

Negative acute-phase reactants decrease during an inflammatory response. When inflammation occurs, the liver shifts its protein production toward positive acute-phase reactants (like C-reactive protein and fibrinogen) that help fight infection, while reducing the synthesis of negative acute-phase proteins such as albumin, transferrin, transthyretin, and retinol-binding protein. This downregulation helps conserve amino acids and prioritize proteins useful for the acute response. In many physiology references, a representative drop of about 25% is used to illustrate the concept, though the exact amount can vary between individuals and conditions. So, these proteins fall in circulation during inflammation, rather than rising or staying the same.