UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: correcting the ESR for age

Category: Geriatrics

Keywords: erythrocyte sedimentation rate, sed rate, ESR (PubMed Search)

Posted: 10/4/2009 by Amal Mattu, MD (Updated: 12/26/2024)
Click here to contact Amal Mattu, MD

The top-normal value for ESR (sed rate) increases with age, such that the top-normal ESR value = (age +10)/2. For example, if you were checking the ESR for evaluation of temporal iritis in an 80yo patient, the top normal value of his ESR is 45.