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What is ESR in a blood test? ESR indicator in men: norm and deviations What does ESR mean 3

Diagnosis of a patient begins with laboratory tests, and a complete blood count (CBC) is a must on the list. It allows you to determine the number of red blood cells and their main characteristics.

ESR (this indicator stands for erythrocyte sedimentation rate) is a basic parameter; it allows you to diagnose the presence or absence of an inflammatory process, and after a course of therapy, check how effective it was.

Along with it, the term ESR is used in medicine - erythrocyte sedimentation reaction. These concepts are identical. The blood, which, after being collected from the patient, is placed in a test tube or tall capillary, is subject to gravity.

Under this influence, it is divided into several layers. Heavy and large red blood cells settle at the very bottom. If this happens quickly, inflammation occurs in the body. It changes in millimeters per hour (mm/h).

Important: Constantly elevated levels are a consequence of chronic inflammation. But sometimes during acute inflammation no increase is observed.

Determination of erythrocyte sedimentation rate is a mandatory parameter of a general blood test. Although ESR will not help determine the exact diagnosis, it will give some hints - especially in conjunction with the results of other studies.

What ESR value is considered normal?


 A chronic disease can also influence the deviation of the result from the conventional norm, but is not pathological.

The ESR norm differs among people of different genders, ages, and even body types.

For women, due to the characteristics of the body, this norm is higher than for men - it is associated with more frequent blood renewal, as well as a number of hormonal changes that the female body regularly undergoes.

An increase in ESR in pregnant women from 4 months is normal and does not require additional diagnostics.

This table illustrates the normal amount of ESR in the blood of an adult.

Determination of indicators and their interpretation should also be carried out taking into account the patient’s age.

In pregnant women, there is a relationship between the acceleration of red blood cells and their body type.

In thin people, in the first half of pregnancy, ROE reaches 21-62 mm/h, in the second - 40-65 mm/h.

For overweight people – 18-48 mm/h and 30-70 mm/h, respectively. The norm is any indicator in the specified range.

Important: In women taking oral hormonal contraceptives, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is always higher.


 ESR in children during infectious diseases (intestinal infections, respiratory tract diseases) increases on the 2-3rd day of illness and reaches 28-30 mm/h.

In infants, the change in this indicator depends on teething, the mother’s diet (with breastfeeding), the presence of helminths, vitamin deficiency, and also when taking certain medications.

Below are the average erythrocyte sedimentation rates for children.

If the ESR level is increased by 2-3 units, this is a variant of the norm. Additional examination is required if the indicator exceeds the norm by 10 or more units.

Important: In the morning, the ESR indicator is always higher - this is important to take into account when interpreting the analysis results.

When does ESR level increase?

During inflammation, the level of proteins in the blood increases, so red blood cells settle faster. If all indicators are normal, except for the erythrocyte sedimentation reaction, then there is no serious cause for concern. After a few days, you can re-donate blood and compare the results.

The most likely reasons for an increase in ESR:

  • Inflammation of the respiratory system, genitourinary system (including sexually transmitted diseases), fungal infections - almost 40% of cases;
  • Oncological processes - about 23%;
  • Rheumatic and autoimmune diseases, including allergies – 17%;
  • Endocrine and gastroenterological diseases – 8%;
  • Kidney diseases – 3%.

 Inflammation of the genitourinary system

Important: It is critical to increase ROE to 38-40 mm/h in children and up to 100 mm/h in adults. This ROE value indicates serious inflammation, kidney problems, and the onset of oncology. Such a patient needs additional examination - special urine, blood tests, ultrasound or MRI, consultations with several specialized specialists.

Diseases in which ESR increases

A temporary increase is observed after acute conditions accompanied by large loss of fluid and increased blood viscosity (diarrhea, vomiting, severe blood loss).

The ROE value increases over a longer period in some diseases:

  • Pathologies of the endocrine system – diabetes, cystic fibrosis, obesity;
  • Diseases of the liver and biliary tract, including hepatitis, cholecystitis;
  • Diseases that are accompanied by tissue destruction;
  • For heart attack and stroke (increases a few days after the onset of the disease);
  • Blood diseases;
  • Infectious of any etiology.

 Diabetes mellitus

Important: Bacterial infections cause an increase in ESR by 2-10 times. In case of viral infections, it increases slightly – by several units. In a man aged 31, an increase to 17-20 mm/h indicates a viral nature of the disease, and up to 58-60 - to a bacterial one.

When the reasons for the increase are not established

In this case, the patient needs a more thorough examination. More detailed blood tests are prescribed, during which the average volume of red blood cells, the number of leukocytes and lymphocytes, and the leukocyte formula are determined.

It is also worth taking a blood test for tumor markers and a urine test.

During these examinations, it is important to take into account the initial state of the body:

  • Previously diagnosed infections;
  • Presence of chronic diseases.

What does a low ESR level indicate?

A decrease is typical for the following conditions:

  • Exhaustion;
  • Blood viscosity;
  • Muscular atrophy;
  • Epilepsy and some nervous diseases;
  • Erythrocytosis;
  • Hepatitis;
  • Long-term use of drugs based on calcium, mercury;
  • For some types of anemia.

It is important to consider how low the ESR is. A value of 4 mm/h is normal for a small child, but for a woman over the age of 20 this is an alarming symptom.

Important: Low speed is the norm for those who adhere to a vegetarian (refusal of meat) and vegan (refusal of any animal products) diet.

False-positive ESR tests

A false positive is a temporary increase that does not depend on pathological processes in the body, provoked by certain medications, age-related or metabolic characteristics.

When the result is false positive:

  • In elderly patients;
  • If you are overweight;
  • After vaccination against hepatitis B;
  • For anemia;
  • If the patient has problems with the kidneys, diseases of the urinary system;
  • While taking vitamin A;
  • If the blood sampling and analysis algorithm is violated, as well as if the cleanliness of the capillary used is violated.

If you suspect a false positive result, you should retake the test again after 7-10 days.

In cases where the test result is false positive, the patient does not require additional examination and treatment.

Methods for determining ESR in blood

Finger blood test

There are several research techniques, the results of which differ by 1-3 units. The most common is the analysis using the Panchenkov method. Westergren method - the technique is the same as the previous method, only a higher capillary is used. This method is more accurate.

The Wintrobe test is used with anticoagulants. A portion of blood is mixed with an anticoagulant and placed in a special tube.

This technique is effective for readings below 60-66 mm/h.

At a higher speed, it becomes clogged and gives an unreliable result.

Features of preparation for analysis

For maximum reliability of the result, blood sampling must be carried out correctly:

  1. The patient should not eat at least 4 hours before the procedure - after a rich and fatty breakfast, the ROE indicator will be falsely elevated.
  2. It is necessary to make a deep puncture (when drawing blood from a finger) so that you do not have to squeeze out the blood - when pressed, a significant part of the red blood cells is destroyed.
  3. Make sure that no air bubbles get into the blood.

How to reduce ESR in the blood?

You should not take medications on your own to lower this indicator. If necessary, they will be prescribed by the attending physician. It is important to remember that simply lowering the indicator does not eliminate the root cause of its increase.

Since such test results are often associated with a low level of hemoglobin and a weakened condition, the patient is prescribed iron supplements, B vitamins, and folic acid.

If rheumatic disease is present, corticosteroids are prescribed.

The patient can independently use traditional methods to strengthen the immune system and cleanse the blood of waste products of pathogenic microorganisms. This will improve your general condition, support your body and improve your blood composition.

For this purpose the following are used:

  • Beetroot juice (100-150 ml on an empty stomach before breakfast);
  • Tea with lemon;
  • Honey (1-2 teaspoons per day, diluted in a glass of warm tea or water);
  • Infusions of chamomile and linden (1 tablespoon per glass of boiling water, drink this volume in several doses throughout the day).

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is an indicator that determines the speed and intensity of red blood cell gluing in certain pathological processes. This analysis is one of the mandatory values ​​of a general blood test; previously the analysis was called ROE and determined the erythrocyte sedimentation reaction.

Changes and deviations from the norm indicate inflammation and the development of the disease. That is why, in order to stabilize the ESR, the disease is initially treated, rather than trying to achieve the norm artificially with the help of drugs.

As a rule, exceeding the norm indicates a violation of the electrochemical structure of the blood, as a result of which pathological proteins (fibrinogens) attach to red blood cells. The appearance of such elements occurs against the background of bacterial, viral, infectious and fungal lesions, and inflammatory processes.

Indications

Important! ESR is a nonspecific indicator. This means that, in isolation from other data, it is impossible to make a diagnosis based on ESR alone. Deviations in erythrocyte sedimentation rate only indicate the presence of pathological changes.

Analysis of ESR is a necessary stage in diagnosing the structure of the blood, which at the earliest stages of the disease makes it possible to determine the presence of inflammatory processes in the body.

That is why ESR is prescribed for suspected pathologies of various nature:

  • inflammatory diseases;
  • infectious;
  • benign and malignant formations.

Additionally, screening is carried out during annual medical examinations.

ESR is used in a complex of clinical (general) analysis. After this, it is necessary to additionally use other diagnostic methods.

Even minor deviations from the norm should be considered conditionally pathological, requiring additional examination.

If a pathology of the hematopoietic system is suspected, the analysis of ESR acquires the main diagnostic value.

ESR standards

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate is measured in mm per hour.

ESR according to Westergren, ESR using the micromethod - venous blood is examined

ESR according to Panchenkov - capillary blood is examined (from a finger)

Depending on the type, form of progression (acute, chronic, recurrent) and stage of development of the disease, ESR can change dramatically. To obtain a complete picture, a repeat study is carried out after 5 days.

ESR is higher than normal

Important! A physiological increase in ESR can be observed in women during menstruation, pregnancy and the postpartum period.

As a rule, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate exceeds the norm in the following diseases:

  • inflammatory processes of various etiologies. The indicator increases as a result of increased production of globulins and fibrinogens during the acute phase of inflammation;
  • decay, tissue death, necrotic processes in cells. As a result of breakdown, protein products enter the bloodstream, causing sepsis and purulent processes. This group includes oncological pathologies, tuberculosis, heart attacks (brain, myocardium, lungs, intestines), etc.;
  • metabolic disorders - hypo- and hyperthyroidism, diabetes at all stages, etc.;
  • nephrotic syndrome and hypoalbuminemia, liver pathologies, serious blood loss, exhaustion;
  • anemia (anemia), hemolysis, blood loss and other pathologies of the circulatory system. As a result of the disease, the number of red blood cells in the body is reduced.;
  • vasculitis, connective tissue diseases: arthritis, periarteritis, scleroderma, rheumatism, lupus and many others;
  • hemoblastoses of all types (leukemia, Waldenström's disease, lymphogranulomatosis and others);
  • periodic hormonal changes in the female body (menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth, the onset of menopause).

ESR is below normal

Registered in the following cases:

  • disorders of the circulatory system associated with the production of red blood cells (erythremia, erythrocytosis, etc.), changes in their shape (hemoglobinopathy, spherocytosis, sickle cell anemia and others);
  • prolonged fasting, dehydration;
  • congenital or hereditary circulatory failure;
  • nervous system disorders: epilepsy, stress, neuroses, as well as mental disorders;
  • Regular use of certain medications: calcium chloride, salicylates, drugs containing mercury.

When you receive the ESR results, you need to contact a therapist, who will decipher them and refer them to a highly specialized doctor (infectious disease specialist, hematologist, oncologist, immunologist and others).

Self-medication and an attempt to artificially stabilize the ESR level will not give results, but will blur the picture for further research and competent therapy.

How to prepare for the procedure

A general blood test (which detects ESR) is performed in the morning on an empty stomach. That is, about 8-10 hours should pass between the last snack and the blood sampling procedure.

1-2 days before donating blood, you must give up alcohol, “heavy” foods (fried, fatty, smoked), and hot spices.

A couple of hours before the procedure, you should refrain from smoking (cigarettes, hookah, pipes, electronic cigarettes, etc.).

Severe stress, psychological stress, physical activity (running, climbing stairs, carrying heavy objects) can also affect the level of red blood cells. Immediately before the manipulations, you need to rest for 30-60 minutes.

You should also tell your doctor about all medications you take regularly or on demand. Their active substances may affect the test result.

Keep in mind that each laboratory uses different ESR testing methods and units of measurement. Therefore, it is necessary to do the analysis, undergo further (repeated) examination and treatment in the same hospital.

When receiving the results of a general blood test, each person wants to figure it out and understand his indicators himself, even if the doctor tells him the general state of health. Today we will deal with such an indicator as ESR, find out how much ESR should be in the blood and what an ESR indicator in the blood that differs from the norm to a lesser or greater extent indicates.

What does ESR mean in a general blood test?

ESR is an abbreviation, the full meaning of which is “erythrocyte sedimentation rate.” Any blood consists of plasma and cells of various origins dissolved in it. The most famous blood cells are platelets, leukocytes and erythrocytes. Each of them is responsible for a specific function, and deviation of any characteristic from the norm entails a disease of varying severity.

Red blood cells make up the majority of the corpuscles. That is why an analysis aimed at the separation of blood cells and plasma is simply called erythrocyte sedimentation rate - ESR.

Sometimes, as a result of a general blood test, a concept such as “ROE” is encountered. ESR and ROE are the same thing; ROE literally means “erythrocyte sedimentation reaction,” which is essentially the same thing. Any general blood test should contain an ESR indicator, since ESR is indicated in a blood test not by some intricate code or set of Latin letters, then anyone can recognize and evaluate it.

ESR is a nonspecific indicator, which means that it reacts both to mild viral diseases (even such as a runny nose) and is a reaction to severe pathologies (cancer). Therefore, ESR is not used as an analysis by which a diagnosis can be accurately established, however, together with other results, it is important and is widely used to monitor the dynamics of the disease or recovery.

What does ESR show in a blood test?

The ESR reacts to any inflammatory process unfolding in the body, and the extent to which the ESR will deviate from the permissible value depends on the severity of the disease.

Based on the results of ESR, one can also predict the onset or development of cancer.

If the change in ESR is not large, this may not be suspicious for the disease. For example, during a strict diet, psychological stress and excessive physical activity, the ESR changes. It must be said that even if you take a general blood test not on an empty stomach, as is customary, but after having a hearty breakfast, the ESR value will have an inaccurate result.

In general, ESR shows how quickly cells in the blood settle to the bottom of a specially graduated test tube in one hour. Their movement can be influenced by:

  • number and size of red blood cells;
  • the appearance of proteins that respond to inflammation;
  • increase in the number of fibrinogen;
  • an increase in the number of immunoglobulins in the blood;
  • increased cholesterol;
  • other reasons;

What is the normal level of ESR in the blood in adults?

The ESR indicator may depend on age, gender, physiological and mental state. It happens that a completely healthy person has a standard ESR value that differs from those generally accepted.

Norm for children:

  • 0-several days: 1 mm/h;
  • 0-6 months: 2-4 mm/h;
  • 6-12 months: 4-9 mm/h;
  • 1-10 years: 4-12 mm/h;
  • up to 18 years: 2-12 mm/h.

Norm for women:

  • 2-16 mm/h;
  • during pregnancy up to 45 mm/h;

Norm for men:

  • 1-12 mm/h.

ESR is higher than normal: what does it mean?

Often it is the increase in blood sedimentation rate that is of interest to the doctor. If a blood test shows an elevated ESR that is significantly different from the norm, the doctor should prescribe further examination that will help determine the cause of this deviation.

If the ESR value is slightly increased, a repeat blood test can solve this problem. The fact is that the speed at which blood cells move increases with increasing temperature. And factors such as increased temperature in the laboratory, temporary overheating or cooling of the body can significantly affect the result.

ESR increases with:

  • inflammatory process.

Moreover, ESR can be influenced by both serious illnesses (pneumonia) and minor colds (ESR with allergies, by the way, also changes its indicator).

  • with pneumonia;
  • for sinusitis
  • heart attacks and strokes.

This can also be associated with inflammation, since damage to the heart tissue that occurs during a heart attack causes an inflammatory impulse in the body, which is detected by the ESR analysis.

  • tumors.

Often, by analyzing the ESR, it is possible to preliminarily determine whether there are neoplasms in the body. If the result differs from how much ESR a healthy person should have, by 60-80 units or more, but there are no noticeable viral, infectious and bacteriological diseases, then the likelihood of detecting tumors during further examination is very high.

  • for any viral and infectious disease

since in this case the body produces a large amount of immunoglobulins, which slow down the movement of red blood cells.

  • for certain conditions in women

In general, the ESR rate in women is higher than in men of the same age. However, during menstruation, ESR tends to increase even more. During pregnancy, ESR increases by several dozen, and this figure is considered normal. ESR also changes during menopause, before menstruation and after childbirth; the norm in the latter case can vary over several days. In particular, blood loss, and as a consequence a decrease in hemoglobin levels, can cause an increase in ESR.

  • for tuberculosis;
  • for diabetes;
  • after surgery;

When a person loses any significant amount of blood or suffers an injury, the ESR level may increase. This is due to the fact that in an emergency dangerous situation the body slightly changes the composition of the blood, which, of course, affects the rate of its deposition. It is difficult to judge how long it takes for ESR to recover after an illness, because everything depends on the severity of the disease, the individual characteristics of the person and the damage caused to the body. In some cases, recovery may take several months.

  • with HIV infection;
  • with anemia;
  • with cirrhosis of the liver;
  • with cirrhosis;

If you have received the result of your blood test and are worried about your condition, ask your doctor what the ESR indicator in the general blood test means in your case. You shouldn’t push yourself if the result differs from the norm; to make or refute a diagnosis, you need to completely examine the body.

When a person comes to the clinic complaining of any disease, he is first offered a general blood test. It includes checking such important indicators of the patient’s blood as the amount of hemoglobin, leukocytes, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).

The complex result allows us to determine the patient’s health status. The last indicator is especially important. It can be used to determine the presence or absence of inflammatory processes in the body. Based on changes in ESR levels, doctors draw conclusions about the course of the disease and the effectiveness of the therapy used.

The importance of ESR level for the female body

In a general blood test, there is a very important parameter - the erythrocyte sedimentation rate; in women the norm is different and depends on age categories.

What does this mean - ESR? This indicator indicates the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, the rate at which blood breaks down into fractions. When performing a study, gravitational forces influence the blood in a test tube, and it gradually stratifies: a lower ball of greater density and dark color appears, and the upper one is of a light shade with some transparency. Red blood cells settle and stick together. The speed of this process is shown by a blood test for ESR..

When conducting this study, it is necessary to take into account that:

  • women have an ESR level slightly higher than men, this is due to the peculiarities of the functioning of the body;
  • the highest indicator can be observed in the morning;
  • if there is an acute inflammatory process, then the ESR increases on average one day after the onset of the disease, and before this there is an increase in the number of leukocytes;
  • ESR reaches its maximum value during recovery;
  • if the reading is too high over a long period, conclusions can be drawn about inflammation or a malignant tumor.

It is noteworthy that this analysis does not always show the real state of the patient’s health. Sometimes, even in the presence of an inflammatory process, ESR may be within normal limits.

What level of ESR is considered normal?

Many factors influence a woman's ESR level. The general norm for erythrocyte sedimentation rate in women is 2-15 mm/h, and the average is 10 mm/h. The value depends on many factors. One of them is the presence of diseases that affect the level of ESR. Age also affects this indicator in women. Each age group has its own norm.

To understand how the ESR normal limits change in women, there is a table by age:

From the beginning of puberty until the age of 18, the ESR norm for women is 3-18 mm/h. It can fluctuate slightly depending on the menstrual period, vaccinations to prevent diseases, the presence or absence of injuries, and inflammatory processes.

The age group of 18-30 years is in the physiological dawn, in which the birth of children most often occurs. Women at this time have an ESR level of 2 to 15 mm/h. The result of the analysis, as in the previous case, depends on the menstrual cycle, as well as on the use of hormonal contraceptives and adherence to various diets.

When pregnancy occurs, the value of this indicator increases sharply and a value of up to 45 mm/h is considered normal. This occurs due to hormonal changes and other factors.

The amount of hemoglobin can also affect the period after childbirth. Its decrease due to blood loss during childbirth can provoke an increase in the number of leukocytes and ESR.

The norm for women at 30-40 years old increases. Deviation may be a consequence of poor nutrition, cardiovascular diseases, pneumonia and other pathological conditions.

Upon reaching 40-50 years of age, women begin menopause. The norm during this period expands: the lower limit decreases, the upper limit rises. And the result can be from 0 to 26 mm/h. It is affected by hormonal changes in a woman’s body under the influence of menopause. At this age, the development of pathologies of the endocrine system, osteoporosis, varicose veins, and dental diseases is not uncommon.

The ESR normal limits for women over 50 years of age do not differ significantly from those for the previous age period.

After reaching 60 years of age, the optimal boundaries change. The permissible value of the indicator can be in the range from 2 to 55 mm/h. In most cases, the older a person is, the more diseases he has.

This factor is reflected in the conditional norm. Conditions such as diabetes, fractures, high blood pressure, and taking medications affect the test result in older people.

If a woman has an ESR of 30, what does this mean? When such an analysis result occurs in a pregnant woman or an older lady, there is no cause for great concern. But if the owner of this indicator is young, then the result for her is increased. The same applies to ESR 40 and ESR 35.

An ESR of 20 is a normal level for middle-aged women, and if a girl has it, then she needs to be wary and pay close attention to her health. The same can also be said about ESR 25 and ESR 22. For age groups under 40 years old, these indicators are overestimated. Further examination and clarification of the reason for this result is necessary.

Methods for determining ESR

There are several ways to get results from a blood test for ESR:

  1. Panchenkov's method. This diagnostic method is implemented using a glass pipette, also called a Panchenkov capillary. This test involves blood taken from a finger.
  2. . A hematology analyzer is used to obtain the result. In this case, blood is taken from a vein. In a special test tube it is combined with an anticoagulant and placed in the device in a vertical position. The analyzer performs calculations.

Scientists compared these 2 methods and came to the conclusion that the result of the second is more reliable and allows one to obtain the results of a venous blood analysis in a shorter period of time.

The use of the Panchenkov method prevailed in the post-Soviet space, and the Westergren method is considered international. But in most cases, both methods show identical results.

If you have doubts about the reliability of the study, you can check it again in a paid clinic. Another method determines the level of C-reactive protein (CRP), while eliminating the human factor of distorting the result. The disadvantage of this method is its high cost, although the data obtained with its help can be trusted. In European countries, the analysis of ESR has already been replaced by the determination of PSA.

In what cases is analysis prescribed?

Doctors usually prescribe a test when a person’s health deteriorates, when he comes to see a doctor and complains of feeling unwell. A general blood test, the result of which is the ESR indicator, is often prescribed for various inflammatory processes, as well as to check the effectiveness of therapy.

Doctors refer the patient to this study to make a correct diagnosis for any illness or suspicion of it. The result of a blood test for ESR is needed even for every person to undergo a routine health check.

Most often, a referral is issued by a general practitioner, but a hematologist or oncologist can send for examination if such a need arises. This analysis is carried out free of charge in the laboratory of the medical institution where the patient is observed. But if a person wishes, he has the right to undergo research for money in the laboratory that he chooses.

There is a list of diseases for which a blood test for ESR is mandatory:

  1. Possible development of rheumatic disease. This could be lupus, gout or rheumatoid arthritis. All of them provoke joint deformation, stiffness, and painful sensations during the functioning of the musculoskeletal system. Affects diseases and joints, connective tissues. The result in the presence of any of these diseases will be an increase in ESR.
  2. Myocardial infarction. In the case of this pathology, blood flow in the heart arteries is disrupted. Although there is an opinion that this is a sudden illness, the prerequisites are formed even before its onset. People who are attentive to their health are quite capable of noticing the appearance of the corresponding symptoms even a month before the onset of the disease itself, so it is possible to prevent this disease. It must be remembered that if even mild pain occurs, you should consult a doctor.
  3. Onset of pregnancy. In this case, the health of the woman and her unborn baby is checked. During pregnancy, there is a need for repeated blood donations. Doctors carefully check your blood for all indicators. As already mentioned, due to hormonal changes, a noticeable increase in the upper limit of normal is allowed.
  4. When a neoplasm occurs, to control its development. This study will not only test the effectiveness of therapy, but also diagnose the presence of a tumor at the initial stage. An elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate may indicate the presence of inflammation. It has a variety of causes, from the common cold to cancer. But a more in-depth examination is needed.
  5. Suspicion of a bacterial infection. In this case, a blood test will show an ESR level higher than normal, but it may also indicate a disease of viral origin. Therefore, you cannot focus only on ESR; additional tests should be performed.

When referring a doctor for this study, it is necessary to fulfill all the requirements for proper preparation, since the ESR blood test is one of the most important in diagnosing diseases.

How to take the test correctly

To test a patient's blood, it is usually drawn from a vein. The analysis shows not only ESR, but also a number of other indicators. All of them are collectively assessed by the medical staff, and the comprehensive result is taken into account.

For it to be truthful, you need to prepare:

  • It is better to donate blood on an empty stomach. If, in addition to the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, you need to find out your sugar level, then 12 hours before donating blood you should not eat, do not brush your teeth, you can only drink a little plain water.
  • Do not drink alcohol the day before blood sampling. The same goes for smoking. If you have a strong desire to smoke, you must stop doing so at least in the morning. These factors are eliminated because they easily influence the research results.
  • Of course, you need to stop taking medications. This primarily concerns hormonal contraceptives and multivitamins. If you cannot take a break from using any medication, then you need to let your doctor know about this, and he will make adjustments to the results obtained taking into account the use of this medication.
  • In the morning, it is advisable to come early for blood collection in order to calm down a little and catch your breath. On this day it is better to be balanced and not give the body heavy physical activity.
  • Since the ESR test depends on the menstrual phases, before donating blood you should consult with your doctor about the best time to take the test.
  • The day before blood sampling, it is necessary to limit fatty and spicy foods in your diet.

The procedure for taking the test is quick and painless. If you still feel unwell or feel dizzy, you should tell the nurse.

If a woman's ESR level is elevated, what does this mean?

It is described above what the normal erythrocyte sedimentation rate for women should be according to age and condition (for example, during pregnancy). So when is ESR considered elevated? If the age indicator deviates from the norm upward by more than 5 units.

In this case, it is possible to detect the presence of diseases such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, poisoning, myocardial infarction and others. But this analysis is not enough to make a diagnosis based on it. It happens that even a hearty breakfast can cause an increase in this indicator. Therefore, there is no need to panic when an ESR is detected above normal.

With a normal erythrocyte sedimentation rate and elevated lymphocytes, the development of a viral disease is possible. Taking into account the inertia of this level, if you have doubts about the result, you just need to re-pass the examination.

State of health of a woman with a low ESR level

Having explained what the norm of ESR in the blood of women and an increased value mean, we will explain what reasons can lead to a low level of this indicator. This result can occur due to:

  • blood flow insufficiency;
  • epilepsy;
  • liver disease (hepatitis);
  • taking certain medications, in particular potassium chloride, salicylates, mercury-based medications;
  • erythrocytosis, erythremia;
  • neurotic illness;
  • diseases that provoke changes in the shape of red cells, in particular anisocytosis;
  • strict vegetarianism;
  • hyperalbuminemia, hypofibrinogenemia, hypoglobulinemia.

As you can see, a low erythrocyte sedimentation rate should be no less alarming than an increased one. If there is a deviation from the normal value in any direction, it is necessary to look for the cause of this health condition and treat the disease.

What is the easiest way to bring the ESR indicator back to normal?

In itself, an increased or decreased erythrocyte sedimentation rate is not a disease, but it shows the state of the human body. Therefore, to the question of how to lower ESR in the blood of women, we can answer that this value will return to normal only after the causes that caused it are eliminated.

Understanding this, sometimes the patient just needs to be patient and diligently treated.

Reasons why the ESR indicator will return to normal after a long time:

  • the broken bone heals slowly and the wound takes a long time to heal;
  • long-term therapeutic course of treatment for a specific disease;
  • bearing a child.

Since an increase in erythrocyte sedimentation rate during pregnancy can be associated with anemia, it is necessary to try to prevent it. If it has already occurred, you need to undergo a course of treatment with safe drugs prescribed by the doctor.

In most cases, ESR can be lowered to an acceptable level only by eliminating inflammation or curing the disease. An even higher result may be due to a laboratory error.

If, when taking an erythrocyte sedimentation rate test, a value was found to be higher or lower than normal, it is necessary to undergo the examination again and make sure that there is no accidental distortion of the result. It’s also worth reviewing your diet and saying goodbye to bad habits.

The article reveals information about the essence and causes of increased ESR in the blood, as well as what consequences it may have for men, women and children.


When diagnosing the state of human health, one of the first indicators that is measured is ESR - erythrocyte sedimentation rate. This research gives the doctor a direction in which his subsequent actions will take place.

What does an elevated ESR in the blood indicate?

Deviation from the normal state does not indicate serious pathologies. The phenomenon of an increased number of red blood cells in medicine is called polycythymia. This happens for various reasons. in the first stages of the disease, ESR begins to increase. After 2 weeks, the rate of red blood cells reaches its maximum. But not everything happens the same way for everyone; there are exceptions. The main factor influencing the level of ESR in the blood is the type of disease that became the precursor to its increase.
Deviation from the norm may be a signal of the following phenomena:
  • A viral disease, for example, ARVI
  • The presence of a bacterial infection in the body
  • Pathologies associated with the kidneys
  • Rheumatism
  • Diabetes mellitus;
  • Insufficiency of the cardiac system
  • Lymphoma
  • Other disorders of the body
This indicator is quite significant because, in combination with other analysis data, it contributes to an objective assessment of a person’s health status. In addition, ESR over time can show how the disease progresses and indicates how effective treatment methods are

ESR norm - table



The normal ESR level in the blood is different for each person. The main differentiating factors are age and gender. The main measuring unit of ESR level is the distance for the time during which blood compounds fall to the bottom of the container. When the rate of descent is higher than normal, this is a sign that the body has a strong response to the inflammatory factor and characteristic severe inflammation.
The following are indicators of normal ESR in the blood of children, women and men.

Initially, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is influenced by those factors that are included in the clinical analysis formula. The level of red blood cells mainly changes the rate, namely the increase and decrease of pigments and bile acids.

Possible causes of elevated ESR in the blood



One of the influential reasons why the erythrocyte sedimentation rate increases is the presence of inflammation in the body.
In general, a number of reasons can be identified for which the ESR indicator exceeds its normal parameters:
  • Infectious disease. Infections of a bacterial nature signal themselves by exceeding the norm. The most common foci of such diseases are the respiratory tract and genitourinary system
  • Diseases characterized by tissue decay: purulent diseases, malignant neoplasms, tuberculosis and heart attack
  • Autoimmune diseases. Examples of such problems include lupus erythematosus, arthritis, thrombocytopenic purpura and others. A change in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate occurs due to the fact that all of these diseases greatly change the blood plasma, as a result of which it becomes defective
  • Kidney diseases. There are often cases of increased ESR due to the fact that the level of protein in the blood drops, which is excreted from the body through urine and, in turn, affects the renal vessels
  • Pathologies associated with metabolism (diabetes mellitus or thyrotoxicosis)
The above reasons are the most common.
Advice: it is necessary to take into account the fact that even a minor cold can provoke an increase in ESR. For this reason, for a comprehensive blood test, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of a cold.

In women

The reasons for increased ESR in females can be quite different. For women, the following key points are characteristic, which lead to an acceleration of erythrocyte sedimentation:
  • Pregnancy period
  • Menstruation period
  • The period after childbirth
  • The period that precedes menopause
During an appointment with a doctor, a woman should inform the doctor about the presence of one of the above factors.

In men

Men have their own reasons for increasing ESR, namely:
  • Oncological diseases
  • Infectious diseases of the genitourinary system
  • Tuberculosis
  • Hepatitis
Since the above factors for increasing ESR involve the use of drugs, the doctor should be aware of their use.

In a child

In children, certain processes occur in the body that lead to changes in the ESR level. The reason for the acceleration of red blood cells is most often the process of inflammation. In addition, a deviation from the norm may occur due to a violation of sleep patterns, the period when teeth are cutting through, or a gastric disorder.
Advice: It is strongly recommended that before taking ESR tests, you tell your doctor about how healthy your lifestyle is. And also, about the presence of smoking or other above-mentioned factors that can provoke a surge in red blood cells. This will allow the doctor to quickly recognize the causes of non-compliance with the ESR standard.

What is ESR: video

In the video, the information is conveyed by a doctor who specializes in complex blood tests. It essentially talks about what the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is, the reasons for the violation of this phenomenon and its consequences.

Thus, it is important to do a comprehensive blood test regularly. In this case, it will be possible to avoid serious problems in the future.