ERYTHROCYTES

SEDIMENTATION
RATE
Bushra Shakir
B.Sc.Nursing 3rd Semester

Presented To:
Dr.Md.Ishak Sir
INTRODUCTION
 Non specific test indicative of inflammation
 Easy to perform
 Inexpensive
 Unit measured in mm/hr
STAGES OF ERYTHROCYTES
SEDIMENTATION
 Stage of rouleaux formation/aggregation -10 min
 Stage of sedimentation/settling -40 min
 Stage of packing -10 min
• MECHANISM
FACTORS THAT INCREASES
ESR
 Old age
 Female
 Pregnancy
 Infection
 Inflammation
 anemia
FACTORS THAT DECREASES
ESR
 Polycythemia
 RBC abnormalities
 Microcytosis
 Short ESR tube
 Vibration during testing
 Inadequate mixing
SOME CONDITIONS WITH
HIGH ESR
 Multiple myeloma
 Maligancies
 Severe Anemia
 Tuberculosis
SOME CONDITIONS WITH
LOW ESR
 Polycythemia
 Severe leukocytosis
 Sickle cell anemia
 Congestive cardiac failure
 hypofibrinogenemia
PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS
ASSOCIATED WITH AN
INCREASED ESR
 Rheumatoid fever
 Rheumatoid arthritis
 Maliganancy
 Anemia
 Tuberculosis
DIFFERENT METHOD
 Westergrens method
 Wintrobes method
 Landau method
 Automated method
 LIMITATION OF ESR
 ESR is specific phenomenon and reflects only change in plasma protein pattern and the
variation in RBC volume
 Cannot be used as diagnostic tool
 Does not indicate the nature of the disease
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF
ESR
 To follow the course of the disease
 To establish the prognosis in certain chronic disease
 To distinguish between organic and non organic disorder
 To support the diagnosis
THANK YOU