BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuESRErythrocyte sedimentation rate; Sed rate; Sedimentation rateESR stands for erythrocyte sedimentation rate. It is commonly called a "sed rate."It is a test that indirectly measures the level of certain proteins in the blood. This measurement correlates with the amount of inflammation in the body. How the Test is Performed A blood sample is needed. Most of the time, blood is drawn from a vein located on the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. The blood sample is sent to a lab.Drawn from a veinVenipuncture is the collection of blood from a vein. It is most often done for laboratory testing.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The test measures how fast red blood cells (called erythrocytes) fall to the bottom of a tall, thin tube. How to Prepare for the Test There are no special steps needed to prepare for this test. How the Test will Feel You may feel slight pain or a sting when the needle is inserted. You may also feel some throbbing at the site after the blood is drawn. Why the Test is Performed Reasons why a "sed rate" may be done include:Unexplained fevers Certain types of joint pain or arthritis Muscle symptoms Headache Other vague symptoms that cannot be explainedThis test may also be used to monitor whether an illness is responding to treatment. This test can be used to monitor inflammatory diseases or cancer. It is not used to diagnose a specific disorder.However, the test is useful for detecting and monitoring:Autoimmune disorders Bone infections Certain forms of arthritis Inflammatory diseases Normal Results For adults (Westergren method):Men under 50 years old: less than 15 mm/hr Men over 50 years old: less than 20 mm/hr Women under 50 years old: less than 20 mm/hr Women over 50 years old: less than 30 mm/hr For children (Westergren method):Newborn: 0 to 2 mm/hr Newborn to puberty: 3 to 13 mm/hr Note: mm/hr = millimeters per hourNormal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your health care provider about the meaning of your specific test results. What Abnormal Results Mean An abnormal ESR may help with a diagnosis, but it does not prove that you have a certain condition. Other tests are almost always needed.An increased ESR rate may occur in people with:Anemia AnemiaAnemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues. Different type...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Cancers such as lymphoma or multiple myeloma Multiple myelomaMultiple myeloma is a blood cancer that starts in the plasma cells in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is the soft, spongy tissue found inside most bone...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Kidney disease Pregnancy Thyroid disease The immune system helps protect the body against harmful substances. An autoimmune disorder is when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue. ESR is often higher than normal in people with an autoimmune disorder.Autoimmune disorderAn autoimmune disorder occurs when the body's immune system attacks and destroys healthy body tissue by mistake. There are more than 80 autoimmune d...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Common autoimmune disorders include:Lupus LupusSystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease. In this disease, the immune system of the body mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. It c...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Polymyalgia rheumatica Polymyalgia rheumaticaPolymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is an inflammatory disorder. It involves pain and stiffness in the shoulders and often the hips.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Rheumatoid arthritis in adults or childrenRheumatoid arthritis in adultsRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a disease that leads to inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues. It is a long-term disease. It can also aff...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article ChildrenJuvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a term used to describe a group of disorders in children that includes arthritis. They are long-term (chronic...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Very high ESR levels occur with less common autoimmune or other disorders, including:Allergic vasculitis Giant cell arteritis Giant cell arteritisGiant cell arteritis (GCA) is inflammation and damage to the blood vessels that supply blood to the head, neck, upper body and arms. It is also call...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hyperfibrinogenemia (increased fibrinogen levels in the blood) FibrinogenFibrinogen is a protein produced by the liver. This protein helps stop bleeding by helping blood clots to form. A blood test can be done to tell ho...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Macroglobulinemia - primary Macroglobulinemia - primaryWaldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) is a cancer of the B lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). WM is associated with the overproduction of protei...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Necrotizing vasculitisNecrotizing vasculitisNecrotizing vasculitis is a group of disorders that involve inflammation of the blood vessel walls. The size of the affected blood vessels helps to ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article An increased ESR rate may be due to some infections, including:Bodywide (systemic) infection Bone infections Bone infectionsOsteomyelitis is a bone infection. It is caused by bacteria or other germs.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Infection of the heart or heart valves Infection of the heart or heart valvesEndocarditis is inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and heart valves (endocardium). It is caused by a bacterial or, rarely, a fu...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Rheumatic fever Rheumatic feverRheumatic fever is a disease that may develop after an infection with group A streptococcus bacteria (such as strep throat or scarlet fever). It can...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Severe skin infections, such as erysipelas ErysipelasErysipelas is a type of skin infection. It affects the outermost layer of the skin and the local lymph nodes.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article TuberculosisLower-than-normal levels occur with:Congestive heart failure Congestive heart failureHeart failure is a condition in which the heart is no longer able to pump oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body efficiently. This causes symptom...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hyperviscosity HyperviscosityPolycythemia can occur when there are too many red blood cells (RBCs) in an infant's blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hypofibrinogenemia (decreased fibrinogen levels) HypofibrinogenemiaCongenital fibrinogen deficiency is a very rare, inherited blood disorder in which the blood does not clot normally. It affects a protein called fib...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Leukemia Low plasma protein (due to liver or kidney disease) Polycythemia PolycythemiaPolycythemia vera (PV) is a bone marrow disease that leads to an abnormal increase in the number of blood cells. The red blood cells are the most af...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Sickle cell anemiaSickle cell anemiaSickle cell disease is a disorder passed down through families. The red blood cells that are normally shaped like a disk take on a sickle or crescen...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesDeane KD, Pisetsky DS. Laboratory testing in the rheumatic diseases. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 237.Vajpayee N, Graham SS, Bem S. Basic examination of blood and bone marrow. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 31.AllVideoImagesTogBlood test - illustration Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. Preparation may vary depending on the specific test.Blood testillustrationBlood test - illustration Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. Preparation may vary depending on the specific test.Blood testillustration Tests for ESR ESRRelated Information Pulmonary tuberculosis(Condition)Necrosis(Special Topic)Rheumatoid arthritis(Condition)Anemia(Condition)Systemic lupus erythematosus(Condition)Giant cell arteritis(Condition)Multiple myeloma(Condition)Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia(Condition)Fibrinogen blood test(Medical Test)Necrotizing vasculitis(Condition)Rheumatoid arthritis - InDepth(In-Depth)Anemia - InDepth(In-Depth)Systemic lupus erythematosus - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 8/20/2023 Reviewed By: Jacob Berman, MD, MPH, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
ESRErythrocyte sedimentation rate; Sed rate; Sedimentation rateESR stands for erythrocyte sedimentation rate. It is commonly called a "sed rate."It is a test that indirectly measures the level of certain proteins in the blood. This measurement correlates with the amount of inflammation in the body. How the Test is Performed A blood sample is needed. Most of the time, blood is drawn from a vein located on the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. The blood sample is sent to a lab.Drawn from a veinVenipuncture is the collection of blood from a vein. It is most often done for laboratory testing.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The test measures how fast red blood cells (called erythrocytes) fall to the bottom of a tall, thin tube. How to Prepare for the Test There are no special steps needed to prepare for this test. How the Test will Feel You may feel slight pain or a sting when the needle is inserted. You may also feel some throbbing at the site after the blood is drawn. Why the Test is Performed Reasons why a "sed rate" may be done include:Unexplained fevers Certain types of joint pain or arthritis Muscle symptoms Headache Other vague symptoms that cannot be explainedThis test may also be used to monitor whether an illness is responding to treatment. This test can be used to monitor inflammatory diseases or cancer. It is not used to diagnose a specific disorder.However, the test is useful for detecting and monitoring:Autoimmune disorders Bone infections Certain forms of arthritis Inflammatory diseases Normal Results For adults (Westergren method):Men under 50 years old: less than 15 mm/hr Men over 50 years old: less than 20 mm/hr Women under 50 years old: less than 20 mm/hr Women over 50 years old: less than 30 mm/hr For children (Westergren method):Newborn: 0 to 2 mm/hr Newborn to puberty: 3 to 13 mm/hr Note: mm/hr = millimeters per hourNormal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your health care provider about the meaning of your specific test results. What Abnormal Results Mean An abnormal ESR may help with a diagnosis, but it does not prove that you have a certain condition. Other tests are almost always needed.An increased ESR rate may occur in people with:Anemia AnemiaAnemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues. Different type...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Cancers such as lymphoma or multiple myeloma Multiple myelomaMultiple myeloma is a blood cancer that starts in the plasma cells in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is the soft, spongy tissue found inside most bone...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Kidney disease Pregnancy Thyroid disease The immune system helps protect the body against harmful substances. An autoimmune disorder is when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue. ESR is often higher than normal in people with an autoimmune disorder.Autoimmune disorderAn autoimmune disorder occurs when the body's immune system attacks and destroys healthy body tissue by mistake. There are more than 80 autoimmune d...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Common autoimmune disorders include:Lupus LupusSystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease. In this disease, the immune system of the body mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. It c...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Polymyalgia rheumatica Polymyalgia rheumaticaPolymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is an inflammatory disorder. It involves pain and stiffness in the shoulders and often the hips.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Rheumatoid arthritis in adults or childrenRheumatoid arthritis in adultsRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a disease that leads to inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues. It is a long-term disease. It can also aff...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article ChildrenJuvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a term used to describe a group of disorders in children that includes arthritis. They are long-term (chronic...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Very high ESR levels occur with less common autoimmune or other disorders, including:Allergic vasculitis Giant cell arteritis Giant cell arteritisGiant cell arteritis (GCA) is inflammation and damage to the blood vessels that supply blood to the head, neck, upper body and arms. It is also call...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hyperfibrinogenemia (increased fibrinogen levels in the blood) FibrinogenFibrinogen is a protein produced by the liver. This protein helps stop bleeding by helping blood clots to form. A blood test can be done to tell ho...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Macroglobulinemia - primary Macroglobulinemia - primaryWaldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) is a cancer of the B lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). WM is associated with the overproduction of protei...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Necrotizing vasculitisNecrotizing vasculitisNecrotizing vasculitis is a group of disorders that involve inflammation of the blood vessel walls. The size of the affected blood vessels helps to ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article An increased ESR rate may be due to some infections, including:Bodywide (systemic) infection Bone infections Bone infectionsOsteomyelitis is a bone infection. It is caused by bacteria or other germs.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Infection of the heart or heart valves Infection of the heart or heart valvesEndocarditis is inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and heart valves (endocardium). It is caused by a bacterial or, rarely, a fu...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Rheumatic fever Rheumatic feverRheumatic fever is a disease that may develop after an infection with group A streptococcus bacteria (such as strep throat or scarlet fever). It can...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Severe skin infections, such as erysipelas ErysipelasErysipelas is a type of skin infection. It affects the outermost layer of the skin and the local lymph nodes.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article TuberculosisLower-than-normal levels occur with:Congestive heart failure Congestive heart failureHeart failure is a condition in which the heart is no longer able to pump oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body efficiently. This causes symptom...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hyperviscosity HyperviscosityPolycythemia can occur when there are too many red blood cells (RBCs) in an infant's blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Hypofibrinogenemia (decreased fibrinogen levels) HypofibrinogenemiaCongenital fibrinogen deficiency is a very rare, inherited blood disorder in which the blood does not clot normally. It affects a protein called fib...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Leukemia Low plasma protein (due to liver or kidney disease) Polycythemia PolycythemiaPolycythemia vera (PV) is a bone marrow disease that leads to an abnormal increase in the number of blood cells. The red blood cells are the most af...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Sickle cell anemiaSickle cell anemiaSickle cell disease is a disorder passed down through families. The red blood cells that are normally shaped like a disk take on a sickle or crescen...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesDeane KD, Pisetsky DS. Laboratory testing in the rheumatic diseases. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 237.Vajpayee N, Graham SS, Bem S. Basic examination of blood and bone marrow. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 31.