A new automated method for the determination of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)

Abstract

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) or sedimentation rate is a measure of the settling of red blood cells in a tube of blood during one hour. The rate is an indication of inflammation and increases in many diseases. A comparative study between the standard Westergren and a new automated method for the determination of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was performed on 60 individual subjects. From this study, the comparison-of-methods plot automated method (Y) and VS Westergren method (X) gave the least square linear regression equation of Y=1.0753 X+ 0.4594 (r=0.9761). Precision analysis gave a coefficient of variation below 3%. At present the new automated method seems to be an effective and safe technique for determination of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate.