scope:

ESR procedures cannot be calibrated. The procedures used to determine the ESR are susceptible to a variety of errors. An inadequately performed ESR that produces an incorrect result may not be detected unless some reference material is available in the laboratory where the ESR procedure is being performed. Since the phenomenon of erythrocyte sedimentation is confined to fresh blood and is transient, presently the only feasible way of providing a control material is to specify a method for the production of such material in the laboratory where it will be used. Because of the nature of the human erythrocyte sedimentation reaction, reference or control materials of the usual type are not available for the ESR test.

This standard specifies the technique and recommends dimensions of the equipment to ensure the precise performance of the ESR test.

If the erythrocyte sedimentation rate test is performed as described in this document, the methods can be used for the following purposes:

(1) As a routine working method in which the blood specimen is diluted with "physiologic" (0.145 mol/L; 8.5 g/L; "0.85%") NaCl solution or sodium citrate solution (0.109 mol/L; 32.06 g/L; "3.3%" C₆H₅O₇Na3 2 H₂O; CAS number 6132-04-3), four volumes of well-mixed blood to one volume of solution;

(2) To assign sedimentation "rate" values to fresh patient samples with PCVs of 0.35 or less so that they can serve as quality control specimens for this laboratory test; and/or

(3) In a suitable protocol, for the evaluation and/or verification of extant as well as newly developed methods for performing the test.