Synonyms |
|
Erythrocyte
sedimentation rate, westergren
|
Clinical
Indications |
|
The
ESR is related to degree of red cell aggregation which occurs
due to formation of rouleaux. In normal plasma, rouleaux
formation is minimal and the ESR is low. An alteration of
plasma proteins following tissue damage, and during
inflammation and chronic pathological processes will increase
ESR, providing a non-specific test of inflammation.
In acute phase response, ESR increase is slow and takes 4 to 6
days to subside after resolution of acute disease - CRP
is a more sensitive early indicator.
ESR is helpful in the diagnosis and monitoring of two specific
inflammatory diseases: temporal arteritis and polymyalgia
rheumatica.
|
Request Form |
|
Combined Pathology Blood form
(Yellow/Black)
|
Availability |
|
On request. May be requested
urgently in suspected temporal arteritis.
|
Turnaround
Time |
|
Same
day
|
Specimen |
|
Whole blood
|
Volume |
|
2 ml
|
Container |
|
Black top (sodium citrate) ESR
tube
|
Lab. Handling |
|
Room
temperature, analyse same day.
|
Causes for
Rejection |
|
Unlabelled sample.
|
Reference
Range |
|
Age
and sex related ranges apply. Upper ranges are:
Male: age <60 yrs - 30mm/hr; 60-80 yrs - 40mm/hr, >80
yrs - 55mm/hr
Female: age <60 yrs - 35mm/hr; 60-80 yrs - 45mm/hr, >80
yrs - 60mm/hr
|
Interpretation |
|
A normal ESR does not exclude
active disease. Many apparently normal elderly subjects will
have raised ESR's and therefore as a screening test, ESR is of
limited value in elderly patients. ESR is raised in pregnancy.
A falsely low ESR may be seen in conditions with raised PCV or
with abnormalities of cell shape (e.g. sickle cell,
spherocytosis).
A falsely raised ESR may be seen in anaemia or certain
inflammatory conditions associated with low albumin.
|