ESR Automated Blood Test

ESR Automated Blood Test Details in Brief

What Does the ESR Test Measure?

The ESR test provides valuable insights into your body's inflammatory response through several key measurements:

• Rate of red blood cell settling: Measures how quickly red blood cells fall through plasma under gravity
• Level of inflammation: Higher settling rates typically indicate more inflammation in your body.
• Disease activity monitoring: Tracks how well treatment is working for inflammatory conditions.
• General health assessment: Provides an overall picture of your body's inflammatory state.
• Response to treatment: Helps doctors understand if medications are effectively controlling inflammation.

How Long Does It Take to Get an ESR Test Report?

Reports are usually available within 4 hours once the sample reaches the lab.

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) test measures how quickly red blood cells settle at the bottom of a vertical tube of anticoagulated blood (EDTA or citrate) over one hour. A small amount of venous blood is collected from your arm into an EDTA tube for analysis.

The ESR test helps detect the presence of inflammation in your body. While it cannot diagnose a specific disease, it serves as an important indicator that guides your doctor towards further investigation when inflammation is suspected.

The ESR test procedure is straightforward and follows standard blood collection
methods:

• Preparation: A healthcare professional cleans the area on your arm with an antiseptic.
• Vein location: An elastic band is tied around your upper arm to make veins more visible.
• Blood collection: A healthcare professional collects about 3 mL of venous blood in an EDTA tube for testing.
• Sample processing: The bloodsample is placed in a vertical Westergren tube (or automated analyser equivalent) and allowed to settle for one hour.
• Measurement: After one hour, the distance the red blood cells have settled is measured in millimetres per hour (mm/hr) using the Westergren method.
• Result calculation: The settling rate is recorded as millimetres per hour (mm/hr).