Shortened erythrocyte sedimentation rate evaluation is applicable to hospitalised patients.
BACKGROUND
Westergren method, commonly used for erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) determination, is simple and inexpensive. However, the 60 min required for the test are disadvantageous, especially for those departments/facilities where prompt evaluation is necessary. We investigated the possibility that earlier ESR recordings might correlate with standard 60-minute ESR and/or be predictive of the latter.


METHODS
Demographic and clinical data were collected from 220 randomly chosen adult patients hospitalised for various diseases in a medical department. ESR, determined by slightly modified Westergren method, was recorded at 15, 30 and 60 min. Correlation coefficients (r) between the standard and early ESR measurements were calculated for the entire group and for the separate subgroups divided according to patient age, sex and presence of anaemia or of inflammation.


RESULTS
Mean+/-SD age of the patients was 61.3+/-19.6, 55% were males; 45% had some inflammatory condition. Mean+/-SD ESR values (mm) at 15, 30 and 60 min were 9.0+/-12.1, 21.4+/-21.8 and 35.9+/-27.5, respectively. A statistically significant correlation was found between ESR measurements at 15 and 60 min (r=0.833, p<0.001). However, the strongest correlation was observed between 30 and 60 min measurements (r=0.926, p<0.001), irrespective of age, sex and presence of anaemia or of inflammation. Based on the ESR determination at 30 min (X), the predicted ESR value at 60 min (Y) could be calculated by a simple equation: Y=10.7+1.2X.


CONCLUSIONS
Sixty-minute ESR values can be predicted by the 30-minute estimation. Shortening the test by half an hour might bear practical importance.
Shteinshnaider
Miriam
M
Department of Internal Medicine F, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center (affiliated to Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University), Zerifin, Israel.
Almoznino-Sarafian
Dorit
D
Tzur
Irma
I
Berman
Sylvia
S
Cohen
Natan
N
Gorelik
Oleg
O
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D005260:Female; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors