What Is ESR In Blood Test

An ESR test can assist in measuring inflammation in the body. It may be used with other tests to diagnose an inflammatory disorder or monitor an existing condition such as arthritis.

If your doctor feels you have excessive inflammation in your body, they may order a blood test in Delhi known as an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). It examines how rapidly the red blood cells (RBCs) move and settle down at the bottom of a test tube, whereby a rapid settling rate indicates significant inflammation.

An ESR test, also known as a sedimentation rate test or sed rate test, does not diagnose a specific ailment. Instead, it assists your doctor in determining whether you have inflammation and what other tests may be required. 

The ESR test can also be used for monitoring existing inflammatory disorders.

Learn more about the ESR test, and what the results may indicate, and book your blood test in Delhi today with Pathcare Labs, which has been proudly and reliably serving over 20 million people for almost two decades.

How does the ESR blood test function?

The pace at which your red blood cells (RBCs) settle to the bottom of a test tube is measured by an ESR test. This test requires a blood sample that is measured over the course of an hour.

When you have inflammation, it can influence your RBCs in various ways. First, your RBCs clump together and create clumps. This clumping influences the rate at which RBCs sink inside a tube containing a blood sample.

Additionally, your RBCs may include more proteins if you have an unexpected infection or chronic inflammation. This could lead them to settle more quickly. The quicker and further down the RBCs cells move to the bottom, the higher the chances of inflammation being present.

Overall, your ESR is determined by the pace at which your RBCs settle. The faster this occurs, the higher your ESR — and the more likely inflammation in your body.

When is an ESR blood test required? 

An ESR blood test in Delhi can detect and quantify inflammation in your body. However, it does not assist in determining the particular cause of inflammation. Consequently, the ESR test is rarely conducted as a stand-alone test.

Instead, your doctor will probably combine it with additional tests to determine what’s causing your problems. In addition, if you currently have an inflammatory problem, your doctor may perform an ESR test as part of routine lab work to ensure that your current treatment regimen is effective.

Diagnosing inflammation-causing conditions 

The ESR test can assist your doctor in diagnosing inflammatory disorders such as:

• autoimmune disorders
• tumours 
• infections 
• temporal arteritis

To Monitor inflammatory conditions

The ESR test can aid in the monitoring of autoimmune inflammatory disorders such as

• rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 
• systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

If you have specific types of arthritis or muscle or connective tissue disorders, such as polymyalgia rheumatica, your doctor may also prescribe this test.

ESR test procedure 

A simple blood sample is required for this blood test in Delhi requires a simple blood sample, requiring hardly a minute or two.

The skin just over your vein is first cleansed.

A needle is then inserted to draw your blood.

The needle is removed after taking your blood, and the puncture site is wrapped to stop any bleeding.

The blood sample is sent to a lab, where it is inserted in a long, thin tube and left for one hour. The laboratory professional handling this blood test in Delhi will analyse how deeply the RBCs sink into the tube, the speed at which they sink, and how many sink during and after this hour.

Inflammation might result in the appearance of aberrant proteins in your blood. Your RBCs clump together due to these proteins, making them fall faster.

Normal ESR test results

The results of an ESR test are measured in millimetres per hour (mm/hr). The inflammation is more likely if the number is greater. Females have greater ESR levels in general.

Normal ESR test results are given below:

Normal ESR test results	Abnormal ESR test results
Females under 50	between 0 and 20 mm/hr.	greater than 20
Males under 50	between 0 and 15 mm/hr.	greater than 15
Females over 50	between 0 and 30 mm/hr.	greater than 30
Males over 50	between 0 and 20 mm/hr.	greater than 20
Children	between 0 and 10 mm/hr.	greater than 10

ESR test findings more than 100 mm/hr may also indicate a more “active” condition, such as cancer, type 2 diabetes, or coronary artery disease.

Interpreting Abnormal ESR Test Results

An abnormal ESR test does not rule out any specific condition. It identifies probable inflammation in your body and signals the need for additional investigation.

A value near zero would be considered excessively low. It’s difficult to give a precise value because various tests vary, and what is eventually judged too low may differ from person to person.

This test isn’t always accurate or useful. Many things can influence your outcomes, including:

• older age 
• certain medicines
• menstruation 
• pregnancy

Some reasons for aberrant ESR test findings are more significant than others, but many are not. You should not be overly concerned if your ESR test results are abnormal.

Instead, consult with your doctor to determine the source of your problems. If your ESR readings are abnormally high or low, they will usually schedule additional tests.

Reasons for High ESR Test Results

A number of factors can cause a high ESR test result. The following are some common conditions associated with a higher rate:

• Inflammatory and infectious disorders, both systemic and localised (local or broad infection)
• Ischemia (lack of blood to a tissue) or tissue damage
• trauma
• certain forms of cancer, including lymphoma and multiple myeloma
• renal disease
• diabetes
• heart illness
• blood or vascular diseases
• blood vessel inflammation (vasculitis)
• obesity
• thyroid disease
• older age
• pregnancy
• anemia

An excessively high ESR can suggest the presence of malignant tumours, particularly when no inflammation is present.

Immune disorders

ESR test findings that are greater than normal are also linked to autoimmune disorders, such as:

• Lupus, 
• certain kinds of arthritis, such as RA 
• Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia, a rare cancer 
• temporal arteritis, a disorder in which your temporal artery gets inflamed or damaged 
• polymyalgia rheumatica, a condition that causes muscle and joint discomfort
• Hyperfibrinogenemia, or an excess of the protein fibrinogen in the blood,
• reactive or necrotizing vasculitis.

Infections

Some types of infection can cause ESR test results to become higher than normal:

• inflammation of the bones
• Myocarditis (affects heart muscle), pericarditis (affects tissue around the heart, or the pericardium), and endocarditis (affects the lining of the heart, including the heart valves) caused by heart infections.
• rheumatoid arthritis
• tuberculosis (TB) 
• skin infection 
• systemic illnesses

Reasons For Low ESR Test Results

A low ESR test result could be caused by:

• CHF (congestive heart failure)
• Hypofibrinogenemia (insufficient fibrinogen in the blood) 
• low plasma protein (as a result of liver or renal illness)
• Leukocytosis is a high white blood cell (WBC) count, while polycythemia vera is a bone marrow condition that causes excess RBC production.
• Sickle cell anemia, is a hereditary illness that affects RBCs.

Depending on the outcomes, your doctor may prescribe more tests, including a second ESR blood test in Delhi to confirm the previous one’s findings. These tests can assist your doctor in determining the exact source of your inflammation.

Takeaway

An ESR test is a blood test that your doctor may perform to determine the level of inflammation in your body. It is frequently used in conjunction with other types of lab testing to exclude or diagnose various inflammatory disorders.

If you have an underlying illness that causes high ESR levels, ESR testing can be performed to track your ESR levels during treatment to see how effectively the treatments are working.

On-time screenings can assist you in avoiding illnesses, and the Pathcare Labs ESR test can help you keep track of your health in the best way possible because it is India’s leading diagnostic service with state-of-the-art Pathology Laboratories as well as the latest and automated technology that helps to ensure that diagnostic test results are quick and accurate.

Bookings for an ESR test in Delhi can be arranged through Pathcare Labs at reasonable prices. If a person has been prescribed many tests, they can look through the Pathcare Labs packages to find the best selection.

Frequently Asked Questions

What other tests can be done at the same time as the ESR?

In addition to your ESR test, your doctor may request a C-reactive protein (CRP) test. Your doctor may also order a complete blood count (CBC) test to look for other indicators of inflammation or illness.

How long will it be before I receive the test results?

While wait times vary, most lab tests performed in a doctor’s office or clinic take a few business days to complete. Your doctor or nurse will contact you with the results and any further actions.

Is it necessary to fast before taking an ESR test?

Fasting is not necessary for the ESR blood test in Delhi. However, it is always best to see a doctor first.