Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) Introduction Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) is a common blood test used to detect and monitor inflammation in the body. It measures how quickly red blood cells settle to the bottom of a vertical tube containing blood during a specific period, usually one hour. Normally, red blood cells settle relatively slowly. During inflammation, certain proteins in the blood increase and cause red blood cells to stick together. These groups of cells settle faster, resulting in an increased ESR. ESR is a simple, inexpensive, and widely available laboratory test. However, it is a nonspecific test , meaning that an increased ESR cannot identify one particular disease by itself. What is ESR? Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) is the rate at which red blood cells settle in a vertical column of anticoagulated blood during a specified period. The result is usually expressed as millimeters per hour (mm/hour) . For example, an ESR result of 25 mm/hour m...
