Word parts
What it means
When there is inflammation, proteins in the blood make red cells clump and fall faster, so the ESR rises. Like C-reactive proteinsee-ree-AK-tiv PROH-teenA protein made by the liver whose blood level rises when there is inflammation somewhere in the body.Full entry , it shows that inflammation is present but not where; it changes more slowly than CRP. It is used to follow conditions such as rheumatoid arthritisROO-muh-toyd ar-THRY-tisA long-term autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the lining of the joints.rheumat/o flowing, joint pain-oid likearthr/o joint-itis inflammationFull entry and some infections.
At a glance
| Normal range | Men up to 15 mm/hr, women up to 20 mm/hr (Westergren method); the upper limit rises with age |
|---|---|
| Abbreviations | ESR |
| Spanish | velocidad de sedimentación globular |
| Also written | ESR, sed rate, sedimentation rate |
Related terms
inflammation
The body's protective response to injury or infection, with redness, heat, swelling, pain and sometimes loss of function.
red blood cell
A blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues; also called an erythrocyte.
C-reactive protein
A protein made by the liver whose blood level rises when there is inflammation somewhere in the body.