- Discussion:
- measurement of the increased rate of settling of erythrocytes is an important laboratory test in evaluation of disease activity in patients with
connective-tissue diseases, certain infections, and neoplastic diseases;
- a useful measure to follow the course of previously diagnosed specific illnesses;
- westergren method;
- normal values are 0-9 mm per hour for men & 0-20 mm/hr for women;
- conditions which increase sed rate:
- infection
- orthopaedic Infections
- sed rate in THR
- sed rate: osteomyelitis of the spine
- inflammatory conditions (polymyalgia rheumatica)
- cancer (lymphoma, multiple myeloma)
- pregnancy (third month to 1-month post partum);
- surgery:
- in routine orthopaedic procedures maximum of 25 to 100 mm / hour is reached at 4 days, which gradually decreases to nl over 1-2 weeks;
- w/ more extensive surgery (THR) mild elevation may perist for upto one year;
- heparinized blood;
- conditions that decrease the sed rate:
- rate may be "falsely low" in conditions in which red blood cells do not undergo rouleaux formation;
- sickle cell anemia
- hereditary spherocytosis;
- cold agglutinin disease;
- cachexia
Clinical significance of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate in orthopaedic surgery.
Original Text by Clifford R. Wheeless, III, MD.
Last updated by Clifford R. Wheeless, III, MD on Sunday, August 11, 2013 10:57 am