Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Flashcards
What can cause an acute-phase response?
Almost any acute stress to the body (trauma, infection, disease).
What exactly is an acute-phase response?
Occurs in response to inflammatory cytokines, when the liver rapidly synthesizes and secretes proteins that aid the host in a response to the threat.
What protein causes RBCs to cluster and increase their effective density?
Fibrinogen
What is hyperfibrinogenemia?
When there is a lot of fibrinogen in your blood.
What can cause RBCs to fall more quickly to the bottom of a glass tube filled with anti-coagulated blood?
Hyperfibrinogenemia in anti-coagulated blood?
What happens after 1 hour of sedimentation (allowing the RBCs to fall to the bottom of the tube)?
Clear plasma is separated to the top layer.
How thick is the plasma layer in normal patients?
Small - less than 15 mm
How thick is the plasma layer in acute-phase response patients?
Large - greater than 40 mm
Is an acute-phase response that increases the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) specific or non-specific? Why?
Non-specific, because there are so many things that can cause an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate.
What is the defining characteristic of lupus erythematosus?
Inflammatory disease that waxes and wanes (turns on and off periodically). Elevated ESR usually gives the clue.
