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Understanding Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate

The Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a non-specific screening test that measures how quickly red blood cells settle in a tube, which increases with certain disease states due to changes in plasma proteins. ESR can be used to screen for infections, tumors, and degenerative diseases, help differentiate between diseases with similar symptoms, monitor disease severity over time, and determine if a viral infection has developed bacterial complications. While non-specific, ESR is affected by factors like proper blood collection and centrifugation technique, and reference ranges differ by age and sex.

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26 views7 pages

Understanding Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate

The Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a non-specific screening test that measures how quickly red blood cells settle in a tube, which increases with certain disease states due to changes in plasma proteins. ESR can be used to screen for infections, tumors, and degenerative diseases, help differentiate between diseases with similar symptoms, monitor disease severity over time, and determine if a viral infection has developed bacterial complications. While non-specific, ESR is affected by factors like proper blood collection and centrifugation technique, and reference ranges differ by age and sex.

Uploaded by

Asad ullah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate

(ESR)
Dr Raheela Akhtar
What is ESR
• non-specific screening test
• It reflects the tendency of red blood cells to
settle more rapidly in the face of some disease
states, usually because of increases in plasma
fibrinogen, immunoglobulins, and other
acute-phase reaction proteins. ESR reflects
mainly changes in the plasma proteins that
accompany acute and chronic infections, some
tumors and degenerative diseases.
Application
• ESR is not a specific test therefore it is used for
screening for certain disease conditions.
• Prognostic test
• The ESR can be an index to disease severity.
• It can be used to differentiate among diseases with
similar symptoms or to monitor the course of an
existing disease. For example, early in the course of
an uncomplicated viral infection, the ESR is usually
normal, but it may rise later with a superimposed
bacterial infection.
Factors affecting ESR
SOURCES OF ERROR

• Blood is clotted or over four hours old


• Blood tube is not at least 1/2 full
• slanted tube
• bubbles in the tube
• Centrifugation around
Normal values
• slightly higher in females

• Newborn: 0 to 2 mm/hr
• Males 0-15 mm/hr
• Female 0-20 mm/hr

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