What is the significance of ESR in a persons blood counts to 54?
The ESR is a nonspecific test that is used to help in diagnosing 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 doctor exactly where the inflammation is in your body or what is causing it, and also because it can be affected by other conditions besides inflammation. ESR is helpful in diagnosing two specific inflammatory diseases, temporal arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica. A high ESR is one of the main test results used to support the diagnosis. It is also used to monitor disease activity and response to therapy in both of these diseases. Normal Values: 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. Elevated values occur with: Kidney disease Pregnancy Rheumatic fever Rheumatoid arthritis Severe anemia Syphilis Systemic lupus
