Analysis index

2 ml EDTA-blood

Age and gender-dependent (please refer to findings report)

Monitoring of inflammatory conditions

For testing of capillary ESR, only an aliquot of 150 µl whole blood is required, a multi analysis test (small blood count, HbA1c) is therefore possible from a regularly filled EDTA-monovette.

The ESR is based on a change in protein composition of the blood plasma in case of inflammatory processes. The produced acute phase proteins lead to a decreased rejection of the negative-charged erythrocyte membranes and thus to an increased aggregation and sedimentation speed. In contrast to CRP, the ESR responds slowly, an increase is only registered 24 – 48 hours after inflammation onset, after subsidence, it falls to normal levels with a half-life of 4 – 6 days. Apart from inflammatory processes, the use of contraceptives as well as pregnancies can lead to an ESR-increase and medication such as ASS, indomethacin, phenylbutazone and corticoids as well as changes to the numbers and structures of erythrocytes can lead to an ESR-decrease.