Rheumatologists often measure erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) when diagnosing a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. Clinicians may rely on instruments such as ESR Stat Plus when analyzing ESR rates. ESR Stat Plus can provide ESR levels in five minutes with a very small blood sample.
ESR, also known as sed rate, is the measure of how quickly red blood cells fall when in a test tube. It is one of the markers of inflammation, an essential sign of rheumatoid arthritis. Clinicians often combine ESR analysis with other testing, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) testing, to discern if inflammation is present. In addition, doctors typically collect patient data on pain levels and examine joints in the hands, arms, shoulders, and knees to help determine whether a patient has rheumatoid arthritis. Moreover, doctors use ESR and CRP to assess if a patient’s rheumatoid arthritis is improving or worsening in response to therapies. Undoubtedly, advanced technology tools for measuring key markers, such as ESR, are important assets to physicians in the diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis.
0 Comments
|
AuthorESR Stat Plus Archives
June 2017
Categories
All
|