What do esr levels mean

This is known as a clinical diagnosis. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate ESR , also called sedimentation rate or sed rate, is one commonly used blood test in an autoimmune disease panel. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate ESR or sed rate measures levels of inflammation in the body. When the body is inflamed, it starts producing abnormal proteins that make red blood cells erythrocytes clump together, says Stuart D. A doctor will put a blood sample in a tube, then measure how far the red blood cells sink to the bottom in an hour.

Red blood cells that travel up to 20 millimeters per hour is considered normal, says rheumatologist Steffan Schulz, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine with Penn Medicine in Philadelphia.

In people with autoimmune disease, the sed rate ESR can go up to about millimeters per hour, and the more elevated it is, the higher the inflammation in the body is.

The ESR blood test is sensitive, meaning most people who have an autoimmune condition will have an elevated sed rate, as expected. In one study on sepsis arthritis, for instance, the specificity was just 11 percent, which means that only 11 percent of people without the disease would be expected to test negative.

On the flip side, sedimentation rate in the normal range might steer rheumatologists away from an autoimmune diagnosis. Watching inflammation levels may help doctors measure disease activity as they gauge how well a certain treatment is working.

A study of 1, systemic lupus patients found that changes in sedimentation rate were linked with changes in disease activity, but other research has shown conflicting results. After the test, people may get a small bruise at the puncture site or experience mild soreness in the arm, which can last for a few days.

In more sensitive people, this bruising may turn into a hematoma. People with abnormal ESR values may not always have a medical condition that requires treatment. Slightly higher levels can also occur due to pregnancy, menstruation, or advancing age.

People taking certain medications, such as oral contraceptives, cortisone, aspirin , and vitamin A, may also have unusual test results. In cases where a non-medical cause or underlying medical condition may be affecting the test result, doctors usually order a second ESR test and other types of test to help make a diagnosis. If the doctor concludes that someone does have a medical condition, they are likely to prescribe a treatment specific to the condition.

Treatment may involve:. An ESR test result outside of the normal range is not necessarily a cause for concern. There are some non-medical causes of abnormal results.

Although doctors cannot diagnose a specific medical condition with an ESR test, the result can establish whether or not there is inflammation in the body. If the test indicates that there may be an issue, doctors will need to order further tests and get additional clinical information to make an accurate diagnosis. Sickle cell disease is an inherited condition that can have life threatening consequences. Learn more about what it involves and the treatment options…. Anemia is the most common blood disorder.

The body does not have enough red blood cells and is unable to deliver enough oxygen around the body. White blood cells fight infection. If someone has too many white blood cells, they may have an underlying condition, such as an infection or cancer…. You may also need this test if you have already been diagnosed with a disease that causes a high ESR. The test can allow your healthcare provider to see how well you are responding to treatment.

The ESR blood test is most useful for diagnosing or monitoring diseases that cause pain and swelling from inflammation. Other symptoms may include fever and weight loss. These diseases include:. ESR is not used as a screening test in people who do not have symptoms or to diagnose disease because many conditions can cause it to increase.

It might also go up in many normal cases. ESR doesn't tell your healthcare provider whether you have a specific disease. It only suggests that you may have an active disease process in your body. You may have other tests if your healthcare provider is doing this test to diagnose a disease.

One of these tests is call C-reactive protein, or CRP. This test also measures active inflammation in the body. Your provider may do an ESR alone if he or she is monitoring a disease you already have. Because ESR tells your provider only what is happening right now, you may need to have the test repeated over time.

Test results may vary depending on your age, gender, health history, the method used for the test, and other things. Your test results may not mean you have a problem.