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Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate

ESR, WSR, Westergren Sedimentation Rate, Sed Rate

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB5146, Antrim: 20410

Department

Hematology

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect: One 4.0 mL Lavender-top K₂EDTA tube. (Minimum: 2.0 mL)

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Refrigerate specimen immediately after collection. Maintain specimens refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F) prior to transport.

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: Whole blood, refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F). (Minimum: 2.0 mL)

Rejection Criteria

• Specimens containing clots.
• Insufficient volume.
• Frozen specimens.
• Specimens submitted in Microtainers^®.
• Centrifuged specimens. 

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Farmington Hills, Grosse Pointe, Royal Oak & Troy
Room Temperature (20-25°C or 68-77°F): 48 hours
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 48 hours
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): Unacceptable

Dearborn & Trenton
Room Temperature (20-25°C or 68-77°F): 24 hours
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 48 hours
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): Unacceptable

Taylor & Wayne
Room Temperature (20-25°C or 68-77°F): 4 hours
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 12 hours
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): Unacceptable

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:

Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 7 days

Laboratory

Dearborn Hematology Laboratory
Farmington Hills Hematology Laboratory
Grosse Pointe Hematology Laboratory
Royal Oak Hematology Laboratory
Taylor Hematology Laboratory
Trenton Hematology Laboratory
Troy Hematology Laboratory
Wayne Blood Bank

Performed

Sunday – Saturday, 24 hours a day.
Results available within 2 hours.

Reference Range

0-18 mm/hour for women.
0-15 mm/hour for men.

Test Methodology

Dearborn, Farmington Hills, Grosse Pointe, Royal Oak, Trenton & Troy: 
iSed Photometric Rheoscope.

Taylor & Wayne: 
Fisherfinest Sediplast (Westergren method) 

Interpretation

• Samples containing sickle cells, spherocytes, lipemia, or cold agglutinins may give false results. 
• Anemia may cause a falsely elevated value in some patients (for the methodology other than iSed Photometric Rheoscope). There is no effective method for correcting anemia in the Westergren method.  

Clinical Utility

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate reflects changes in plasma proteins which accompanies acute and chronic infections, inflammation, malignancy, multiple myeloma, macroglobulinemia and hyperfibrinoginemia. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate is used primarily to follow the progress of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis during treatment.

CPT Codes

85652

Contacts

Last Updated

10/3/2023