Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) by modified Westergren method — a nonspecific marker of systemic inflammation. Rises with infection, autoimmune/inflammatory conditions, tissue injury, and some malignancies. Often interpreted alongside hs-CRP.
ESR measures how quickly red blood cells settle in a test tube, reflecting systemic inflammation levels. Doctors order it to screen for infections, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory conditions, or tissue injury—it's nonspecific but useful as part of a broader diagnostic picture.
When elevated: An elevated ESR suggests the presence of inflammation, infection, autoimmune disease, or other systemic conditions. However, because ESR is non-specific, a high result alone does not identify a particular diagnosis and must be interpreted alongside clinical symptoms and other tests. When low: A low ESR is generally expected and normal. Unusually low values are uncommon and may occur in conditions that alter red blood cell shape or reduce plasma proteins, but this is not clinically concerning in most cases.
ESR can indicate overtraining syndrome or excessive training load when elevated alongside other markers like hs-CRP, though it's not athlete-specific. More commonly used in clinical settings to rule out underlying infection or inflammatory disease that might impair recovery or performance; less directly actionable than sport-specific biomarkers for training optimization.
Method
Modified Westergren
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Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) by modified Westergren method — a nonspecific marker of systemic inflammation. Rises with infection, autoimmune/inflammatory conditions, tissue injury, and some malignancies. Often interpreted alongside hs-CRP.
ESR measures how quickly red blood cells settle in a test tube, reflecting systemic inflammation levels. Doctors order it to screen for infections, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory conditions, or tissue injury—it's nonspecific but useful as part of a broader diagnostic picture.
When elevated: An elevated ESR suggests the presence of inflammation, infection, autoimmune disease, or other systemic conditions. However, because ESR is non-specific, a high result alone does not identify a particular diagnosis and must be interpreted alongside clinical symptoms and other tests.
The Sedimentation Rate-Westergren test starts at $3.90 at Labcorp or Quest. No doctor's visit and no insurance needed; we do not bill insurance. Fitomics Insider members pay from $3.00.
No. When you order the Sedimentation Rate-Westergren test from Fitomics Research Labs, a licensed physician in our 50-state network reviews and signs your requisition after checkout, and it lands in your portal and inbox. Then visit any Labcorp, Quest, or BioReference patient service center for your draw; results post to your Insider portal.
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