It is often difficult to understand which lab values mean what. We give you an overview in the series "What do my laboratory values mean?

Blood sedimentation (ESR)

Blood consists of 30-50% solid parts, the red and white blood cells, and liquid blood plasma. If blood is left to stand for a long time, the cells separate from the plasma and a watery supernatant is formed. The "healthier" and less contaminated blood is, the longer the blood remains homogeneous. If the blood is contaminated by inflammation, deficiencies, pollutants or cancer, the blood cells quickly separate from the serum and a high watery supernatant develops. The blood sedimentation rate (BSG) measures the speed at which this separation occurs. It is expressed in millimetres per hour (mm/h). For the test, the blood is drawn into a tube containing an anticoagulant.

 

Result

In very healthy blood, the blood cells drop 1-2 millimetres per hour (result ESR 1/2 mm/h). With mild acute or chronic inflammations, the values are between 15/30 mm/h and 20/40 mm/h. In severe inflammatory diseases, such as a rheumatic flare-up or advanced cancer, the value can rise to 70/90 mm/h or 80/105 mm/h, for example. The blood sedimentation rate only indicates that something is wrong. However, the result does not give any indication of the type or location of the health disorder. These must be clarified by further examinations.