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What Causes Elevated ESR Level?
my sister is a patient of Rheumatology which is severe to the extent that her few fingers are deshaped also having pain in her hands, shoulders and feet sometimes. she is having its treatment as well. her recent test states that her ESR in mm is 78. she is 5 feet, her weight is 47 kg and 24 years old. as the normal ESR is 20 so this increased ratio is quite alarming for me at least. kindly guide me about it??...., why so increased?
Wed, 3 Sep 2014
Hello, Thnx to contact us. If I am your treating doctor I would like to advice you that ESR is Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate. It is a non specific marker of inflammation. Having High ESR is suggestive of inflammation in your sisters case it is joint inflammation or you can say arthritis. When you put anti coagulated blood in a column it is observed that RBC gradually settled down. Normally RBC and proteins present in plasma both had negative charge so they resist settlement. But when there is inflammation this ration altered by positive inflammatory proteins. this will fast the process of ESR sedimentation. If you have anything else to ask please contact me. Thanx. Dr. Arun Tank
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