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ESR

The role of ESR in the body

ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate) or ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate) – a non-specific laboratory indicator that reflects the presence of inflammation, infection, or other pathological processes in the body.

Main functions:

  1. Marker of inflammation -increases in infections, autoimmune diseases, and tumors.
  2. Assessment of the activity of chronic diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis).
  3. Monitoring of treatment effectiveness (ESR reduction indicates positive dynamics).

ESR norm in the blood test

GroupNormal (mm/h)
Men2 – 10
Women2 – 15
Children2 – 10
ElderlyUp to 20–30 (age-related increase)
Pregnant WomenUp to 40–50 (physiological increase)

Note: References depend on the measurement method (Westergren, Panchenkov).

Reduced ESR (Rare)

Reasons:

  • Blood clots (dehydration, erythremia).
  • Taking medications (NSAIDs, corticosteroids).
  • Hyperproteinemia (rare genetic diseases).

Symptoms:
There are usually no specific symptoms, but there may be:

  • Headaches (due to increased blood viscosity).
  • Tendency to thrombosis.

Elevated ESR (A common sign of pathology)

Reasons:

  1. Inflammation/infection (pneumonia, pyelonephritis, COVID-19).
  2. Autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, SLE).
  3. Anemia (iron deficiency, hemolytic).
  4. Oncology (lymphomas, metastases).
  5. Pregnancy, menstruation (physiological causes).

Symptoms:
Depend on the underlying disease:

  • Fever, weakness (with infections).
  • Joint pain, swelling (with autoimmune processes).
  • Weight loss, night sweats (with tumors).

What should I do if there are deviations?

  • If ESR is high, look for the cause (analysis for CRP, ferritin, rheumofactor, ultrasound/CT).
  • If ESR is low, check the hematocrit and exclude dehydration.

Important! ESR is not a diagnosis, but a signal for further examination.