Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (M)

Question 1

What is the principle of ESR?

Answer 1

It is the speed of settling RBCs in anticoagulated blood

Question 2

What are the stages of ESR?

Answer 2

1) Initial period of aggregation or rouleaux formation
2) Period of fast settling
3) Final period of packing

Question 3

What is the time duration for initial period of aggregation or rouleaux formation stage?

Answer 3

10 mins

Question 4

What is the time duration for period of fast settling stage?

Answer 4

40 mins

Question 5

What is the time duration for final period of packing stage?

Answer 5

10 mins

Question 6

What are the importance of ESR?

Answer 6

1) It is used as an index of the presence of an active infection
2) It measures the suspension stability of RBCs
3) It indicates abnormal concentration of fibrinogen, globulin, and other plasma proteins

Question 7

What are the mats needed for ESR?

Answer 7

1) Anticoagulated blood
2) Wintrobe tube
3) Pasteur pipette / syringe w/ cannula
4) Timer
5) Westergren tube
6) Westergren rack
7) Rubber aspirator
8) Test tube rack

Question 8

What are the different procedures of ESR?

Answer 8

1) Wintrobe-Landsberg Method

2) Westergren Method

Question 9

What is the process (or steps) of Wintrobe-Landsberg method?

Answer 9

1) Fill the wintrobe tube w/ blood w/ a pasteur pipette or a cannula attached to a syringe
2) Place the tube in a vertical position on a rack
3) After letting the tube stand for 1 hr, record the ESR in mm
4) Normal value:
- > male: 0 - 10 mm/hr
- > female: 0 - 20 mm/hr

Question 10

What is the process (or steps) of Westergren method?

Answer 10

1) Fill the westergren tube w/ blood using a rubber aspirator
2) Let the tube stand vertically on a westergren rack
3) Record ESR in mm after an hr
4) Normal value:
- > male: 0 - 15 mm/hr
- > female: 0 - 17 mm/hr

Question 11

What are the clinical significances of ESR?

Answer 11

1) Infection
2) RA
3) Rheumatic fever
4) Vascular disease
5) Heart disease
6) Kidney disease