A Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Test measures how quickly red blood cells (erythrocytes) settle in a test tube. The more red cells fall to the bottom of a special test tube in one hour, the higher the sed rate.
When inflammation is present in the body, certain proteins cause red blood cells to stick together and fall more quickly than normal to the bottom of the tube. These proteins are produced by the liver and the immune system under many abnormal conditions, such as an infection, an autoimmune disease, and cancer. There are many possible causes of an elevated sedimentation rate. For this reason a Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Test is often done with other tests to confirm a diagnosis. Once a diagnosis has been made, a sed rate can be done to help monitor the course of the disease or the effectiveness of treatment.
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