CRS
Abbreviation with 6 meanings
| Stands for | Chronic rhinosinusitis |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 6 |
| Categories | Medical, Organizations & Companies, Government & Politics, Business & Finance |
CRS has six meanings. The most common are Chronic rhinosinusitis (ophthalmology & ENT) and Catholic Relief Services (nonprofit); it can also stand for Cytokine release syndrome, Congressional Research Service, Common Reporting Standard and Certified Residential Specialist.
Meanings of CRS at a glance
| # | CRS stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chronic rhinosinusitis | Medical › Ophthalmology & ENT |
| 2 | Catholic Relief Services | Organizations & Companies › Nonprofit |
| 3 | Cytokine release syndrome | Medical › Hematology and Oncology |
| 4 | Congressional Research Service | Government & Politics › US Federal Agency |
| 5 | Common Reporting Standard | Business & Finance › Tax |
| 6 | Certified Residential Specialist | Business & Finance › Real Estate & Mortgage |
1. Chronic rhinosinusitis
Medical · Ophthalmology & ENT Abbreviations
Inflammation of the nose and sinuses lasting at least 12 weeks, with two or more of nasal blockage, discharge, facial pain or pressure, and reduced sense of smell, confirmed by endoscopy or CT. It occurs with or without nasal polyps.
Example: CRS with nasal polyps, anosmia, failed steroid irrigations and FESS; start dupilumab.
Daily saline irrigation and intranasal steroids are first-line. Endoscopic sinus surgery helps patients who fail medical therapy, and biologics such as dupilumab, approved for polyps in 2019, treat severe disease. Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease combines polyps, asthma and aspirin sensitivity. In oncology CRS means cytokine release syndrome.
2. Catholic Relief Services
Organizations & Companies · Nonprofit Abbreviations
International humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States, providing emergency relief, agriculture, health and development programs in more than 100 countries.
Example: CRS distributed seeds and tools to farmers after the drought.
Founded in 1943 by the US Catholic bishops to help refugees in war-torn Europe, it serves people regardless of religion. Much of its funding historically came from US government grants, so the 2025 cuts to foreign aid significantly affected its programs. In Congress, CRS means the Congressional Research Service.
3. Cytokine release syndrome
Medical · Hematology and Oncology Abbreviations
Systemic inflammatory reaction caused by a surge of cytokines after immune therapies such as CAR-T cells and bispecific antibodies, ranging from fever and fatigue to low blood pressure, low oxygen and organ failure. It usually begins within days of treatment.
Example: Day 2 after CAR-T: fever 39.4 and hypotension responsive to fluids: grade 2 CRS, tocilizumab given.
Severity is graded with the 2019 American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) consensus system based on fever, hypotension and hypoxia. The interleukin-6 receptor antibody tocilizumab, with or without steroids, is the main treatment and does not appear to blunt CAR-T effectiveness. In ear, nose and throat medicine CRS means chronic rhinosinusitis.
4. Congressional Research Service
Government & Politics · US Federal Agency Abbreviations
Research arm of Congress within the Library of Congress that provides nonpartisan policy and legal analysis to members and committees on request. Its reports explain legislation, programs and legal issues in plain language.
Example: A CRS report on the debt limit lists every increase since 1960.
Founded in 1914 as the Legislative Reference Service and renamed in 1970. Its reports were long distributed only within Congress, but since 2018 they have been posted publicly at congress.gov. The service does not make policy recommendations. In the nonprofit world CRS can mean Catholic Relief Services.
5. Common Reporting Standard
Business & Finance · Tax Abbreviations
OECD standard approved in 2014 under which financial institutions in more than 100 participating jurisdictions collect account holders' tax residency and report foreign residents' accounts to local tax authorities, which then exchange the data annually.
Example: Our Singapore bank asked for a CRS self-certification with my UK tax number.
Modeled on FATCA, with the first exchanges taking place in 2017. The United States has not joined, relying on FATCA instead, which critics describe as a gap in global tax transparency. In US real estate, CRS is also a broker designation.
6. Certified Residential Specialist
Business & Finance · Real Estate & Mortgage Abbreviations
Designation for experienced residential real estate agents awarded by the Residential Real Estate Council, requiring advanced coursework and a record of completed transactions.
Example: Agents with the CRS designation have closed a substantial volume of sales.
In international tax, CRS means the Common Reporting Standard for exchanging financial account information.
Related abbreviations
More ophthalmology & ENT abbreviations
- CF – Counting fingers
- CHL – Conductive hearing loss
- CI – Cochlear implant
- CRAO – Central retinal artery occlusion
- CRVO – Central retinal vein occlusion
- CSOM – Chronic suppurative otitis media
- CSR – Central serous retinopathy
- CYL – Cylinder
See all 74 ophthalmology & ENT abbreviations →
More nonprofit abbreviations
- CARE – CARE International
- CBO – Community-based organization
- CFR – Council on Foreign Relations
- CORE – Congress of Racial Equality
- CSIS – Center for Strategic and International Studies
- CSO – Civil society organization
- D.A.R.E. – Drug Abuse Resistance Education
- DAF – Donor-advised fund
See all 91 nonprofit abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.