ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate)
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The ESR is the speed at which non-clotted red blood cells settle to the
bottom of a test tube.
Increased rates of RBC settling are caused by changes in the plasma
proteins. In some diseases, the ESR can be particularly rapid (high ESR).
These include:
- Infection
- Inflammatory diseases
- Auto-immune diseases
- Trauma/tissue injury
- Many cancers
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Normal Values*
| Men |
0-15 mm/hr |
| Women |
0-20 mm/hr |
| Children |
0-10 mm/hr |
*These are general values taken from a variety of
sources. The actual normal values may vary from lab to lab and from one
type of testing protocol to another.
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Source:
Operational Medicine 2001, Health
Care in Military Settings, NAVMED P-5139, May 1, 2001, Bureau
of Medicine and Surgery, Department of the Navy, 2300 E Street NW, Washington,
D.C., 20372-5300 |