Palko's Medical Laboratory Procedures 3rd Edition by Danielle Wilken, Phyllis Cox

Exercise 94

A test often performed in POLs is an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). It measures the tendency of red cells to settle together at the bottom of a column of blood. While it is not specific for any one disorder, it gives valuable information when combined with a patient’s physical symptoms. Patient A had an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) of 39 mm/hr. Patient B had an ESR of 9 mm/hr. What does the unit “mm” signify? What is each patient’s rate in meters? What is the difference in their rates? Use your school library or your own reference books to determine which patient’s result is normal and which is abnormal.