UMEM Educational Pearls

Category: Geriatrics

Title: correcting the ESR for age

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

Posted: 10/4/2009 by Amal Mattu, MD (Updated: 4/25/2024)
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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.