Methods For Determining ESR (ERYTHROCYTE SEDIMENTATION RATE)

[Guest guest]

VALIDATION OF THE DIESSE MINI-VES AUTOMATED SYSTEM USING THE WESTERGREN

ERYTHROCYTE SEDIMENTATION RATE IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATORY

CONDITIONS.

Marc R Happe, A Rennie, Frederick T , P Dooley, F

Battafarano, J Casey San , TX

Background The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a simple, inexpensive

and most frequently used labortatory test for assessing the acute phase

response in

systemic inflammatory diseases. The significance of the ESR with regard to

the diagnosis, management, and classification of rheumatoid arthritis, giant

cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica is well established. The

Westergren method is a well established test in determining the ESR. The

Diesse Mini-ves system was designed

to provide a faster and safer method in determining the ESR. In this

prospective study, we compare the Diesse Mini-ves system with the Westergren

reference method. Our hypothesis is that the Diesse Mini-ves system will be

comparable to the standard Westergren method.

Methods This prospective observational study enrolled 200 subjects with

various systemic inflammatory conditions. Subsets of patients included

systemic lupus

erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, osteomyelitis, infections (not

osteomyelitis) and normal subjects. The accuracy of compared venous samples

were analyzed

through linear regression analysis. Precision of the Diesse Mini-ves system

was performed by standard statistical analysis. The accuracy of compared

samples with

rate of change over a time interval was also analyzed.

Results To date 161 clinical samples revealed that the Diesse Mini-ves

system measured higher that the Westergren method by 4.56 mm/hr with a

paired t-test. There was a statistically significant correlation between the

two methods (r=0.966, p<0.001). The equation of the regression line was:

Mini-ves = 1.021 *

Westergren + 4.082. The standard error of the y-estimate was 6.28.

Conclusions The Diesse Mini-ves system is comparable to the standard

Westergren method in determining the ESR in systemic inflammatory diseases.

The Diesse

Mini-ves system is a faster and safer method in determining the ESR and may

better assist physicians in the diagnosis and management of numerous

inflammatory and infectious disease processes.

Session Info. : Poster Session: Misc Rheum Disease 1 (12:30 PM-2:00 PM)

Board Number: 202