SED RATE BY MOD WEST (ESR)

SED RATE BY MOD WEST; ESR, SED RATE; ERYTHROCYTE SEDIMENTATION RATE (ESR); WESTERGREN SEDIMENTATION RATE; SEDIMENTATION RATE

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) westergren is an easy, inexpensive, nonspecific test that has been used for many years to help diagnose conditions associated with acute and chronic inflammation, including infections, cancers, and autoimmune diseases. 

ESR is said to be nonspecific because increases do not tell the health provider exactly where the inflammation is or what is causing it, and also because it can be affected by conditions other than inflammation. Because it is nonspecific, ESR is typically used in conjunction with other tests. 

ESR aids in diagnosing two specific inflammatory diseases, polymyalgia rheumatica and temporal arteritism, a high ESR being one of the main test results used to support the diagnosis. The test is also used to monitor disease activity and response to therapy in both polymyalgia rheumatica and temporal arteritism.

A sed rate test is typically ordered when someone is suspected of having a condition which is causing inflammation or to monitor treatment for various conditions which cause inflammation. A sed rate test isn't a stand-alone diagnostic tool, but it can help your doctor diagnose or monitor the progress of an inflammatory disease. 

It is used to detect the presence of inflammation caused by one or more conditions such as infections, tumors or autoimmune diseases; to help diagnose and monitor specific conditions such as temporal arteritis, systemic vasculitis, polymyalgia rheumatica, or rheumatoid arthritis.