JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES

Abstract

Background: Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) is an important diagnostic tool used for diagnosing and monitoring various disease processes. The most important method of ESR estimation is gold standard Westergren method using 3.8% sodium citrate in the ratio of 4:1. Though many other methods are available for ESR estimation not many studies have been done in this regard. This study was done with an aim of comparing gold standard Westergren ESR method with micro ESR method, Modified Westergren ESR method (K3 EDTA using blood in Dilution 0.85% sodium chloride by ratio 4:1) and ESR method using EDTA without blood dilution. Material and Methods: The present study was done in the haematology section of central diagnostic laboratory services of a tertiary care hospital in Karnataka from November 2018 to July 2019 on blood samples from 110 adult patients. The mean values of ESR estimation done by using blood collected with 3.8% sodium citrate in a ratio of 4:1 was compared with ESR estimated through microesr method, ESR estimated using blood collected in K3 EDTA with dilution with normal saline and ESR estimated using blood collected in K3 EDTA without dilution. The Mean, Standard Deviation and confidence interval was measured using SPSS 22IBM version. Paired t-test was used for calculation of p value, which if < .001 was considered statistically significant. Results: Maximum number of cases were in the age group of 21-40years (70%). 40.9% cases were males and 59.1% cases were females. Out of 110 cases the blood sample 75 cases were normal and 35 cases are abnormal (gold standard method). The comparison of mean values obtained between gold standard method micro ESR methods, undiluted EDTA. While the mean values when compared between gold standard ESR estimation with EDTA blood with normal saline dilution had not much significant difference. Conclusion: In this study ESR estimation by dilution of EDTA collected blood with normal saline was as good as gold standard Westergren method. It is easy to perform, needs one single vacuitainer and doesnot need any sophisticated instruments. Hence they can be used interchangeably.

Keywords: Westegrens Method, Micro ESR Method, K3 EDTA Dilution.