Types

• Estimation of the red cells occurs when anti-coagulated blood is allowed to settle. The rate at which the red cells fall is known as the ESR. The test actually measures the rate of fall (sedimentation) of RBCs in a sample of blood that has been placed into a tall, thin, vertical tube.
• Sedimentation of red cells occurs due to rouleau...

Description

Wintrobe method

Males:

• 0-9 mm/hr

Females:

• 0-20 mm/hr

Westergen method

Males:

• 3-5 mm/hr

Females:

• 5-12 mm/hr

When to get Tested

• When a condition or disease is suspected of causing inflammation in the body
• When Arthritis is suspected of causing inflammation and pain in the joints or when digestive symptoms are suspected to be caused by inflammatory bowel disease.
• When there are s/s that suggest polymyalgia rheumatica, systemic vasculitis, temporal arteritis such as headaches, neck and shoulder pain, pelvic pain , unexplained weight loss and joint stiffness

Elevated Level

Physiological

• Pregnancy (due to increased fibrinogen and globulin)
• After a meal

Pathological

• Acute infection e.g. pneumonia
• Chronic infection e.g. TB
• Acute non-infective inflammation e.g. gout
• Collagen vascular disease (RA, SLE etc.)
• Malignant disease e.g. CA breast, leukemia , Multiple myeloma
• Anemia

Decreased Level

• Polycythemia
• Afibrogenemia
• Sickle cell anemia
• Hereditary spherocytosis