Soe 34 what does it mean. What does an increase or decrease in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in the blood indicate? ESR according to Westergren: what is it

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate is a reaction, pronounced changes in the course of which indicate the presence of diseases in the body. It is indicated for suspected inflammatory or malignant processes.

But this reaction does not allow to obtain a sufficient number of details about the pathology and is carried out in combination with other diagnostic methods. Included in the list of studies that relate to a clinical blood test.

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate in the blood - what is it?

Blood mixed with anti-clotting agents and left in a test tube at rest gradually separates.

Plasma is on top, platelets and leukocytes are located below, and erythrocytes remain at the very bottom, in which the density index is the highest, and their sedimentation rate, which changes under the influence of a number of factors, shows the presence or absence of pathological processes.

Negatively charged red blood cells do not stick together in the blood stream due to the presence of a charge, but this changes when protein compounds that are associated with the disease appear in the plasma structures. These include antibodies, fibrinogen, ceruloplasmin. They affect the acceleration of sedimentation processes, which is revealed in the analysis process.

Increased bile acid content does not lead to acceleration.

In human blood, plasma is more than 55%

How is the erythrocyte sedimentation rate measured?

The method for measuring the erythrocyte sedimentation rate according to Panchenkov is available and used in many medical institutions.

In a narrow container - Panchenkov's capillary - a substance is added that prevents clotting processes. Blood taken for research is placed in the same container so that its level reaches the desired level. After it is installed in a Panchenkov stand, and the process of settling begins.

An hour later, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is estimated and the result is recorded. The amount of plasma fluid that has collected in the upper part of the tube per hour shows how quickly the erythrocytes descend.

Also widely used is the method of measuring the erythrocyte sedimentation rate according to Westergren, which involves the use of other equipment: special test tubes and scales.

The Westergren method better shows the degree of increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and the result can be obtained faster, but these methods do not have pronounced differences when measuring blood with normal values.


What does eri subsidence look like?

Units

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate is measured in millimeters that the descending blood cells have passed in an hour (mm / h).

Normal erythrocyte sedimentation rate

The ESR norm is associated with age and gender:

  • In children in the first 28 days of life(provided there are no pathologies), the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is in the range of 1 or 2 mm / h. At this age, the hematocrit is increased, and the amount of protein compounds is reduced, which causes these results. As they grow older, the level begins to rise and by six months is 12-17 mm / h.
  • In childhood and adolescence the results are at the level of 1-8 mm / h, which is close to the normal indicators of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate in men under 60 years of age.
  • In adult males The norm is the reaction, which is located in the range of 1-10.
  • In women of childbearing age the norms of the reaction of erythrocyte sedimentation are 2-15. This has to do with the action of testosterone and other androgens. There is also a change in the rate of precipitation processes depending on the cycle time: before and during menstruation, an increase in ESR is noted. Also, increased rates are recorded in the second half of pregnancy: the severity of the reaction grows and reaches a peak in the last days. This is influenced by an increase in the amount of plasma fluid, an increase in the concentration of cholesterol, globular proteins and a decrease in calcium levels.

Table showing fluctuations in ESR depending on gender and age:

First month after birth 0-2
Up to 6 months 12-17
Childhood and adolescence 2-8
Men under 60 1-10
Elderly men (from 60) below 15
Women under 60 2-15
second half of pregnancy 40-50
Elderly women (from 60) Below 20

To determine the ESR according to Westergren and the micromethod, blood is taken from a vein for research.

The Panchenkov method involves the use of capillary blood.

Deviations in the reaction rate depend on the disease and its characteristics. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate can change significantly over a short period of time.

ESR increased: what does it mean and why is it dangerous?

ESR increases in the presence of a pathological process in the body and remains at the same level for a long time, even in cases where the disease has already been cured.

This is due to the influence of the disease on the structure of blood cells: it is disturbed, and the reaction will not change until the renewal of blood cells occurs.

Accelerated settling is observed in the following diseases:


Protein compounds that are in the plasma fluid and affect the mechanism of increasing or decreasing ESR are called agglomerins.

Features of the change in ESR:

  • A rapid increase in values ​​up to 60-80 and more is observed in malignant neoplasms (lymphosarcoma, multiple myeloma).
  • Tuberculosis on early stages does not affect the values, but without treatment and in the presence of complications, the indicators will increase.
  • In acute infectious processes, an increase is noted not immediately, but on the second or third day.
  • The study is useless in the diagnosis of appendicitis and some other pathologies in which the values ​​do not increase immediately.
  • Rheumatic diseases may be accompanied by minor deviations in the values, but a drop in numbers is noted when complications from the heart occur.

Causes of increased ESR, not associated with pathologies

An increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate does not always mean the presence of a pathological process.

There are a number of conditions in which an accelerated reaction does not report violations:

  • menstruation period,
  • food intake,
  • Starvation, strict diets,
  • Exhaustion after diseases,
  • The introduction of plasma fluid and its substitutes,
  • Reception of vitamin and mineral complexes,
  • Certain medications (oral contraceptives, corticosteroids, dextrans)
  • High physical activity
  • intense stress,
  • Lactation,
  • period after vaccination.

Physiological changes rarely cause a significant increase or decrease in speed.


What does a reduced erythrocyte sedimentation rate mean?

If the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is lowered, this indicates the presence of the following pathologies:

  • Excessive blood density
  • Change in the shape of red blood cells (acquired or congenital disorders: spherocytosis, sickle cell anemia),
  • Decreased blood pH,
  • Wakez disease,
  • mechanical jaundice,
  • An excess of bilirubin
  • Deviations in the mechanisms of blood supply,
  • Decreased fibrinogen concentration.

The drop in the rate of erythrocyte sedimentation is not considered by physicians as a valuable diagnostic value.

Elevated ESR in the blood is a contraindication for the study. The danger of increased soy in the blood of a child. Causes of low ESR. Diagnosis by ESR in the blood.

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a laboratory study of the number of settled erythrocytes in the blood. Expressed in mm after 1 hour.

This is a simple, cheap, easily accessible study and at the same time accurate. This technique quickly evaluates the ratio of the concentrations of individual proteins, as well as the properties of red blood cells. The test consists in taking blood and mixing it in a test tube with an anticoagulant - sodium citrate or potassium edetate. An hour after collection, we obtain an estimate of the erythrocyte dropout rate.

The principle of erythrocyte sedimentation is that in an external environment with a low temperature in the test tube, erythrocytes become "agglomerated". This is due to the diversity of proteins in the blood. The resulting agglomerates of blood cells fall to the bottom of the tube.

Proteins that aid erythrocyte agglomeration include fibrinogen, immunoglobulins, and other acute phase proteins. There are proteins that inhibit the agglomeration of erythrocytes, they are albumin. With accelerated settling occurs:

The norm of soy in the blood in children and adults

The results of the ESR indicator are no less important than the indicator - and adults. These indicators are linked by a clinical blood test.

Indications and contraindications for conducting a study on ESR

ESR is included in . Assign this study for symptoms:

To conduct an ESR study, a small amount of blood is needed, so there are no contraindications for performing it.

Elevated soy in the blood what does it mean

ESR in men and women, as it happens, but this is considered the norm. Reasons for increasing ESR:

  1. Anemia (anemia) is caused by too few red blood cells (erythrocytes) in the blood plasma
  2. Inflammatory processes
  3. Gammapathy (gammapathy of antibodies) is a group of diseases in which there is a violation of blood clotting, damage to the kidneys
  4. Some types of cancer
  5. Injury or surgery
  6. Cirrhosis of the liver
  7. Nephrotic syndrome - manifested by swelling of the face and body, as well as weakening and lack of appetite

The norm is an increased ESR during pregnancy and 2 weeks after childbirth. In women, ESR rises during menstruation. In a child, an elevated ESR is considered the norm up to 6 months of life.

Internet discussions

Low ESR - causes

Reasons for reduced ESR:

  • sickle cell anemia - develops as a result of a violation of the formation of normal hemoglobin chains in red blood cells
  • deficiency of fibrinogen - a blood plasma protein that is a blood coagulation factor
  • polycythemia due to an increase in red blood cells

A doctor directs a doctor to study the level of erythrocytes if he suspects the development of inflammatory diseases (as in the case of checking men). If inflammation has already been detected, it monitors its course. For preventive purposes, once a year, require a referral for an examination of erythrocyte sedimentation.

Laboratory analysis of the determination of ESR in the blood is a non-specific test for inflammatory processes in the body. The study is highly sensitive, but with its help it is impossible to establish the cause of the increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in the blood test.

ESR, definition

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate is an indicator of the overall clinical analysis. By determining the rate at which erythrocyte sedimentation occurs, it is estimated in dynamics how effective the treatment is, how quickly recovery occurs.

Methods of analysis for elevated ESR have been known since the beginning of the last century, as a study to determine the ROE, which means "erythrocyte sedimentation reaction", erroneously such a blood test is called soy.

Analysis for the determination of ROE

An analysis to determine the rate at which erythrocytes are deposited is carried out in the morning. At this time, ROE is higher than during the day or in the evening. The analysis is taken on an empty stomach after 8-14 hours of fasting. For the study, material is taken from a vein or taken after a finger puncture. An anticoagulant is added to the sample to prevent clotting.

Then the tube with the sample is placed vertically and incubated for one hour. During this time, the separation of plasma and red blood cells occurs. The erythrocytes settle to the bottom of the tube under the action of gravity, and a column of transparent plasma remains above them.

The height of the liquid column above the settled erythrocytes shows the value of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The unit of measurement of ESR is mm/hour. The erythrocytes that sink to the bottom of the tube form a blood clot.

An elevated ESR means that the test results are higher than normal, and this is caused by a high content of proteins that promote gluing of red blood cells in the blood plasma.

A high level of ESR can be caused by reasons associated with a change in the composition of proteins in the blood plasma:

  • a reduced level of albumin protein, which normally prevents aggregation (aggregation) of erythrocytes;
  • an increase in plasma concentration of immunoglobulins, fibrinogen, which enhance the aggregation of red blood cells;
  • reduced density of red blood cells;
  • changes in plasma pH;
  • malnutrition - deficiency of minerals and vitamins.

A high ESR in the blood does not have an independent meaning, but such a study is used in combination with other diagnostic methods, and this means that one cannot draw a conclusion about the nature of the disease in a patient from the analysis alone.

If ESR levels in the blood rise after diagnosis, this means that it is necessary to change the treatment regimen, conduct additional tests to establish the real reason why soy remains high.

Normal level of ROE values

The range of values ​​that are considered normal is determined statistically when examining healthy people. The average value of ROE is taken as the norm. This means that in some healthy adults, the ESR in the blood will be elevated.

The norm in the blood depends:

  • from age:
    • in older people, soy is higher than in young men and women;
    • in children, ESR is lower than in adults;
  • from gender - this means that women have higher ESR than men.

By exceeding the norm of ESR in the blood, it is impossible to diagnose the disease. Elevated values ​​can be found in perfectly healthy people, while there are cases of normal test values ​​in cancer patients.

The reason for the increased ESR may be an increase in the concentration of cholesterol in the blood, oral contraceptives, anemia, pregnancy. The presence of bile salts, increased plasma viscosity, and the use of analgesics can reduce the analysis indicators.

ESR norm (measured in mm / hour):

  • in children;
    • age 1-7 days - from 2 to 6;
    • 12 months - from 5 to 10;
    • 6 years - from 4 to 12;
    • 12 years - from 4 - 12;
  • adults;
    • in men;
      • up to 50 years from 6 to 12;
      • men after 50 years - from 15 to 20;
    • among women;
      • up to 30 years - from 8 to 15;
      • women from 30 to 50 years old -8 - 20;
      • in women, starting from the age of 50 - 15-20;
      • in pregnant women - from 20 to 45.

Increased ESR in women during pregnancy is observed from 10-11 weeks, and is able to remain at a high level in the blood for another month after childbirth.

If a woman has a high ESR in the blood for longer than 2 months after childbirth, and the increase reaches 30 mm / h, this means that inflammation develops in the body.

There are 4 degrees of increase in the level of ESR in the blood:

  • the first degree corresponds to the norm;
  • the second degree falls in the range from 15 to 30 mm / h - this means that the soybean is moderately increased, the changes are reversible;
  • the third degree of elevated ESR is the analysis of soybeans above the norm (from 30 mm / h to 60), which means that there is a strong aggregation of red blood cells, a lot of gamma globulins have appeared, the amount of fibrinogen has increased;
  • the fourth degree corresponds to a high level of ESR, the test results exceed 60 mm / h, which means a dangerous deviation of all indicators.

Diseases with elevated ESR

ESR in an adult can be increased in the blood for reasons:

  • acute and chronic infections;
  • autoimmune diseases;
  • systemic pathologies of connective tissues;
    • vasculitis;
    • arthritis
    • systemic lupus erythematosus - SLE;
  • malignant tumors:
    • hemoblastoses;
    • collagenosis;
    • multiple myeloma;
    • Hodgkin's disease;
  • tissue necrosis;
  • amyloidosis;
  • heart attack;
  • stroke
  • obesity;
  • stress
  • purulent diseases;
  • diarrhea;
  • burn;
  • liver diseases;
  • nephrotic syndrome;
  • jade;
  • large blood loss;
  • intestinal obstruction;
  • operations;
  • trauma;
  • chronic hepatitis;
  • elevated cholesterol.

Accelerates the reaction of erythrocyte sedimentation food intake, the use of aspirin, vitamin A, morphine, dextrans, theophylline, methyldopa. In women, the cause of an increase in blood ESR may be menstruation.

It is advisable for women of reproductive age to conduct a soy blood test 5 days after last day monthly, so that the results do not exceed the norm.

In adults under 30 years old, if the ESR in blood tests is increased to 20 mm / h, this condition means that there is a focus of inflammation in the body. For the elderly, this value is within the normal range.

Diseases occurring with a decrease in ESR

A decrease in the rate of sedimentation of red blood cells is observed in diseases:

  • cirrhosis of the liver;
  • heart failure;
  • erythrocytosis;
  • sickle anemia;
  • spherocytosis;
  • polycythemia;
  • mechanical jaundice;
  • hypofibrinogenemia.

Slows down the rate of sedimentation in the treatment of calcium chloride, corticosteroids, diuretics, glucose. The use of corticosteroids, treatment with albumin can reduce the activity of the erythrocyte sedimentation reaction.

ROE values ​​in diseases

The greatest rise in analysis values ​​occurs in inflammatory and oncological processes. An increase in the values ​​of analyzes for ESR is noted 2 days after the onset of inflammation, which means that inflammatory proteins appeared in the blood plasma - fibrinogen, complement proteins, immunoglobulins.

The cause of a very high ESR in the blood is not always a deadly disease. With symptoms of inflammation of the ovaries, fallopian tubes in women, signs of purulent sinusitis, otitis media and other purulent infectious diseases, blood ESR tests can reach 40 mm / h - an indicator that is not usually expected in these diseases.

In acute purulent infections, the indicator can reach the level of 100 mm / h, but this does not mean that a person is terminally ill. This means that you need to be treated and do the analysis again after 3 weeks (erythrocyte lifetime), and sound the alarm if there is no positive dynamics, and soy in the blood is still elevated.

The reasons why there is a sharply increased high soybean in the blood, reaching up to 100 mm / h, are:

  • pneumonia;
  • flu;
  • bronchitis;
  • hepatitis;
  • fungal, viral infections.

SLE, arthritis, tuberculosis, pyelonephritis, cystitis, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, ectopic pregnancy - with all these and a number of other diseases, adults have an increased ESR in blood tests, which means that the body is actively producing antibodies and inflammatory factors.

In children, the ESR index is sharply increased during acute infection with ascaris, the amount of immunoglobulins in the blood increases, which means that the risk increases allergic reactions. ESR in helminthiases in children can reach 20-40 mm/h.

Soy rises up to 30 and above with ulcerative colitis. Anemia is another reason why a woman has high soy in the blood, its value increases to 30 mm / hour. Increased soy in the blood of women with anemia is a very unfavorable symptom, which means low hemoglobin in combination with an inflammatory process, and occurs in pregnant women.

In a woman of reproductive age, the cause of an elevated ESR in the blood, reaching 45 mm / h, may be endometriosis.

The growth of the endometrium increases the risk of infertility. That is why, if a woman has an increased ESR in the blood, and increases with repeated studies, she definitely needs to be examined by a gynecologist to rule out this disease.

An acute inflammatory process in tuberculosis raises the ESR values ​​to 60 and above. The Koch wand that causes this disease is not sensitive to most anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics.

Changes in autoimmune diseases

Significantly rises ESR in autoimmune diseases that occur chronically, with frequent relapses. By repeated analysis, one can get an idea of ​​whether the disease is in the acute stage, to determine how correctly the treatment regimen is chosen.

In rheumatoid arthritis, the ESR values ​​increase to 25 mm/h, and during exacerbations they exceed 40 mm/h. If a woman has an increased ESR, reaching 40 mm / h, this means that the amount of immunoglobulins in the blood is increased, and one of possible causes this condition is thyroiditis. This disease is often autoimmune in nature and is 10 times less common in men.

With SLE, the values ​​of the analyzes increase to 45 mm/h and even more, and can reach 70 mm/h, the level of increase often does not correspond to the danger of the patient's condition. And a sharp increase in analysis indicators means the addition of an acute infection.

In kidney diseases, the range of ESR values ​​is very wide, the indicators vary depending on gender, the degree of the disease from 15 to 80 mm/h, always exceeding the norm.

Indicators for oncology

High ESR in adults with oncological diseases is more often noted due to a solitary (single) tumor, while blood test indicators reach values ​​of 70-80 mm / h and more.

A high level is observed in malignant neoplasms:

  • bone marrow;
  • intestines;
  • lungs;
  • ovary;
  • mammary glands;
  • cervix;
  • lymph nodes.

Such high rates are also observed in other diseases, mainly in acute infections. If the patient does not experience a decrease in test scores when taking anti-inflammatory drugs, then the doctor may refer the patient for an additional examination to rule out cancer.

Not always with oncology, the ESR in the blood rises sharply and its value is much higher than the norm, which does not allow using such a study as a diagnostic one. There are enough cases where oncological disease proceeds with ROE less than 20 mm/h.

However, this analysis can help in the diagnosis already at the early stages of the disease, since an increase in the analysis indicators is noted in the early stages of cancer, when there is often no clinical symptoms illness.

With an increase in ESR in the blood, there is no single treatment regimen, since the reasons for the increase are varied. It is possible to influence the test results only if the treatment of the disease that caused the increase in ESR is started.

Often in the clinic you can hear that you need to do an analysis for ESR in the blood. What is this indicator and what role does it play in the diagnosis various diseases? This abbreviation stands for erythrocyte sedimentation rate. This indicator may deviate from the norm in various pathologies. The analysis is the first diagnostic step in case of hospital treatment or the need for surgery.

Description of the analysis

What is SOE? The ESR index indicates the erythrocyte sedimentation rate. During the laboratory analysis, the blood collected from the patient is left for a certain time in a vertically located test tube. Erythrocytes are heavier than plasma, so after a certain time they settle to the bottom, forming a red precipitate. It is this time that specialists detect in order to assess the ESR. The speed will be indicated in mm for 1 hour of time.

What is ROE? More recently, this was the name of the familiar analysis of ESR. Doctors called it ROE - the reaction of erythrocyte sediment. Today you can still find this name in the forms of individual laboratories.

Norms of indicators

If you received a form with an ROE indicator, now you know that this is the same as the ESR. The rate of ROE in the blood depends on the gender and age of the patient. Today, the following indicators should be considered as the norms of erythrocyte sedimentation time:

The ROE indicator can increase with a protein imbalance in the body. The main reasons for the increase in erythrocyte sedimentation rate are elevated levels of globulins and fibrinogen. Today, doctors use two main methods for determining ESR in the blood.

Diagnostic methods

Modern doctors use the following methods for determining ESR. ROE in the blood is determined by two methods. The most accurate is the Westergren method. The main difference of this method is that the erythrocyte sedimentation rate in the blood is estimated on a more accurate scale. In addition, the patient's blood is taken from a vein. Blood is mixed with an anticoagulant in a test tube. Measurement is carried out exactly one hour later, which gives the correct settling in mm / h.

However, despite the accuracy of the previous method in our country, the method of determining the erythrocyte sedimentation rate of ESR Panchinkov is more popular. Determination of ESR by this method requires taking blood from a patient's finger.

The erythrocyte sedimentation reaction is carried out in a special tube, marked with a scale in millimeters.

An anticoagulant is added to the blood on a special glass, after which the blood is drawn into a tube. After an hour, the indicator is evaluated and indicated by mm / h. The ESR formula is quite simple and does not require specialists to use additional equipment. After all, ESR ROE is what? It's just the rate of sedimentation of blood cells.

The sedimentation of erythrocytes by this method occurs in several stages:

  1. In the first minutes after the addition of an anticoagulant to the blood, vertical columns of erythrocytes are formed. They are called coin columns.
  2. Further, within 40 minutes, the erythrocytes settle.
  3. After this period, the stage of cell compaction begins. It takes 10 minutes.

Thus, the time of the ESR mechanism takes 1 hour. This gave the name to the units of measurement of ESR mm / h. This methodology for assessing ESR is used everywhere in our country. The analysis can be taken at any clinic, the results are usually ready the next day.

Deviations from the norm in the direction of increase

It should be noted right away that ESR hematology may deviate from the norm due to physiological reasons. This is especially true for women. In the fairer sex, ESR indicators may increase in the postpartum period and on the days of menstruation. For this reason, these days it is better not to take the analysis. There are also people whose ESR is elevated from birth. This is not considered a pathology, and they can live with it for many years, and at the same time be completely healthy. But there are no more than 5% of such people on the planet. In addition, the erythrocyte content in the blood affects the sedimentation rate. With anemia of various nature, the rate increases.

If the ESR value is not increased due to physiological reasons, the presence of the following pathologies in the body can be assumed:

  • Inflammatory diseases.
  • body intoxication.
  • Infectious diseases.
  • Acute heart disease.
  • Injuries of a different nature.
  • Oncological diseases.
  • Pathology of the kidneys.
  • Anemia.

Thus, we can say that any serious pathology in the body is accompanied by an accelerated ESR. In addition, drug therapy with certain drugs can accelerate ESR.

Downward deviations from the norms

If your clinical significance shows a too slow reaction, perhaps the matter is in an unbalanced or poor diet. Of the pathological causes, dehydration of the body and muscular dystrophy can be distinguished. In addition, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate can be influenced by their shape. This pattern is observed in crescent and stellate erythrocytes.

How to take an analysis

Setting the ESR does not require special preparatory actions from the patient. Preparation for analysis includes the standard refusal to eat for 8 hours before the analysis, a ban on drinking alcohol for a week and a decrease physical activity days before blood sampling. Remember that ESR and ROE are the same, so if your form contains the designation ROE, do not get confused and know that this is an erythrocyte sediment reaction.

How to reduce the rate

Treatment of accelerated ESR is simply not possible at home. There are no drugs or folk methods to reduce these figures. After all, what does the increase in performance indicate? It only says that some pathological process is taking place in the body, which develops and requires treatment. Only a doctor will be able to determine for what reasons your analysis showed deviations from the norm.

With the help of complex diagnostics and decoding of all indicators of your blood, the specialist will identify the disease and prescribe adequate treatment.

Today, doctors say that erythrocyte sedimentation often deviates from the norm for various physiological and third-party reasons. It is precisely because of the instability of this indicator that it is not always possible to talk about the presence of a terrible disease in the body. So, for example, in children, an increase in ESR, what does this say? If the child is healthy, the rise may show banal teething.

What does elevation mean in adults? Often in adults, analysis indicators are increased from taking medicines, with diets, lack of vitamins and other third-party factors. For this reason, the ESR analysis is not an accurate diagnostic method, and if the indicators deviate from the norm, additional diagnostics are necessary.

What to do if the cause of deviations is not identified

High ESR for no apparent reason, what does it mean? Often, patients have an increase in ESR, but doctors cannot determine the cause of this deviation. In this case, deviations should not be attributed to laboratory error or physiological factors. The best solution in this situation would be to undergo a complete examination of the body in order to exclude the presence of hidden pathological processes. Often, ESR can rise with oncology, which still does not manifest itself. Doctors recommend not to refuse additional diagnostics, because diseases detected in the early stages can be successfully treated.

However, there are times when the cause of a chronic increase in ESR remains a mystery to the doctor and patient. In this case, no therapy is carried out, because if the cause is not identified, there is simply nothing to treat. For such patients, doctors recommend regularly visiting a doctor, taking tests and monitoring the level of ESR at least 2 times a year.

If you have found an increase in the rate of erythrocyte sedimentation, there is no need to panic. Most often, deviations in the level of ESR are not a sign of fatal diseases. As well as other blood indicators, this analysis can give deviations for various, not always pathological reasons. The fact is that the blood reacts very quickly to any external and internal changes. Even a change in the weather leads to the fact that some changes may be detected in the analysis.

In contact with

The most informative and accessible method of laboratory diagnosis of a person's condition is a complete blood count. ESR is one of the main indicators of this study. It is important in establishing the diagnosis and determining the method of treatment. Consider what ESR means in a blood test and what deviations from the norm of ESR in a general blood test indicate.

ESR in the general blood test

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) indicates how fast the erythrocyte sedimentation occurs. In other words, this process is called agglomeration (gluing) of red blood cells.

During this study, a blood sample is examined in a test tube. In this case, the upper layer of blood and anticoagulant is a transparent plasma, the lower layer is settled erythrocytes. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate is determined in millimeters by the height of the plasma layer in one hour. Since the mass of red blood cells is greater than the mass of plasma, they sink to the bottom under the influence of gravity and with the use of a coagulant.

ESR is a non-specific indicator. No definite pathological condition or a disease in which it increases or decreases. But the definition of this indicator is of great diagnostic value, it helps to predict the development of the disease and its dynamics.

Factors on which the increase in ESR in the blood test depends:

  • hypoalbuminemia - a decrease in the content of albumin in the blood;
  • an increase in the pH of the blood, resulting in alkalization of the blood and the development of alkalosis (violation of acid-base balance);
  • blood thinning and, consequently, a decrease in its viscosity;
  • decrease in the content of erythrocytes in the blood;
  • the development of hyperglobulinemia - an increase in the content of class A and G globulins in the blood;
  • the development of hyperfibrinogenemia - an increase in the blood content of fibrinogen (a protein of the acute phase of inflammation).

The reasons that lead to a decrease in ESR in the blood:

  • hyperalbuminemia - an increase in the content of albumin in the blood;
  • decrease in blood pH, the development of acidification and acidosis;
  • an increase in the content of bile acids and bile pigments in the blood;
  • increased blood viscosity;
  • increase in the content of erythrocytes in the blood;
  • change in the shape of erythrocytes.

The norm of ESR in a blood test is 3–15 mm/h in women, and 2–10 mm/h in men. In pregnant women, this figure can be much higher, up to 40 mm / h. This is due to the fact that in women during this period the protein composition of the blood changes, which leads to such an increase in ESR.

The ESR norm depends on age. In newborn babies, it is 0-2 mm / h, in a child under six months - 12-17 mm / h.

An increase in ESR occurs with the development of the following diseases and conditions.

  • Various infections and inflammatory processes, in which the production of globulins and proteins of the acute stage of inflammation increases.
  • Diseases that are characterized not only by an inflammatory process, but also by necrosis (decay) of tissues, blood elements, the ingress of protein breakdown products into circulatory system. Such diseases include septic and purulent pathologies, pulmonary tuberculosis, myocardial infarction, and malignant neoplasms.
  • Metabolic disease - diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism.
  • Systemic vasculitis and disease connective tissuerheumatoid arthritis, rheumatism, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, periarteritis nodosa, dermatomyositis.
  • Anemia as a result of blood loss, hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells).
  • Hemoblastosis (lymphogranulomatosis, leukemia) and paraproteinemic hemoblastosis (Waldenström's disease, multiple myeloma).
  • Hypoalbuminemia in liver diseases, blood loss, exhaustion, nephrotic syndrome.
  • In women - the period of menstruation, pregnancy, the postpartum period.

In an acute infectious and inflammatory process, an increase in ESR in the blood is observed a day after an increase in the overall body temperature and an increase in the number of leukocytes.

In children, the ESR in the blood test may increase slightly, even for a very minor reason. So, in young children, this indicator increases when eating fried foods, during teething. Helminths can provoke an increase in ESR in a baby, taking some medicines(paracetamol). In addition, even a stressful situation, for example, the very procedure of taking blood from a child, can lead to a slight deviation from the norm of ESR in the general blood test.

Below the norm, ESR occurs under the following conditions.

  • Diseases in which the shape of red blood cells changes - anisocytosis, spherocytosis, hemoglobinopathy, sickle cell anemia.
  • Erythrocytosis (an increase in the number of red blood cells) and erythremia (a sharp increase in the formation of red blood cells in the bone marrow).
  • Hypoglobulinemia, hypofibrinogenemia, hyperalbuminemia.
  • Diseases that develop as a result of an increase in the content of bile acids and bile pigments in the blood - mechanical jaundice caused by a violation of the outflow of bile, hepatitis of various types.
  • neuroses, epilepsy.
  • Severe circulatory failure.
  • Side effects of certain drugs are mercury preparations, calcium chloride, salicylates.