- See:
- Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate
- Osteomyeltis of the Spine
- Discussion:
- sed rate is useful in diagnosis of vertebral osteomyelitis & to monitor progression of or recovery from infection;
- w/ diskitis, sed rate will be elevated in 85-100 % of both adults & children and is frequently the only abnormal laboratory value;
- sed rate will be > 100 mm an hour in 38 % of pts w/ spinal osteomyelitis and will be > 50 mm an hour in 76 %;
- pyogenic osteomyelitis is most likely infection to result in sed rate > 100 mm;
- in contrast to only 12 % of pts w/ tuberculous spondylitis;
- time interval for normalization of sed rate:
- cervical spine: 3.5 months;
- thoracic spine: 6 months;
- lumbar spine: 7 months
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate after lumbar spine surgery.