Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), Blood - Pasqua-RGH/Saskatoon

• Community Requisition-Chemistry/Hematology (RQHR 217)
• InHouse Requisition-Chemistry/Hematology (RQHR 243)

Saskatoon

Any ESR ordered that has had a High Sensitivity CRP ordered within the last two weeks; ESR will be cancelled except for the following cases. Please mark on the requisition if one of these applies:

• Requested by Rheumatology/Opthalmology physician 
• Polymyalgia Rheumatica on initial diagnosis
• Temporal Arteritis
• A suspected relapse of Hodgkin's Lymphoma
• Following cases of Rheumatoid arthritis
• Inflammatory Arthritis
• Cleared by the Hematopathologist on call
• Pediatric ESRs can be requested through the SCM ordering system (RUH) and no longer require clearance by a Hematopathologist.
• Rural requested ESRs may only be available through specified locations (see Testing Site(s) below)
• Acute Care Phlebotomy Requisition Form #101062 (RUH only)

• ​ESR

• Whole Blood

• Preferred collection container: Lavender (4.0 mL K2 EDTA)

• 4mls K2 EDTA– minimum volume  2mls K2 EDTA

• Optimal volume: 4 mL
• Minimum volume: 1.5 mL

        (Submitting the minimum volume makes it impossible to repeat the test or perform confirmatory/reflex testing. In some situations, a minimum volume may require a second collection)

• Pediatric volume: 1 mL

• Sample must be processed within 8hrs of collection

• ​Less than or equal to 6 hours

• Greater than 6 hours and less than or equal to 12 hours – results may be affected

• Clotted specimen, Insufficient volume, Specimens received greater than 8hrs old, Frozen

• ​Less than 1 mL for pediatric

• Less than 1.5 mL for adult
• Greater than 12 hours
• Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Acceptance and Rejection Criteria

• Results available within one hour of receipt

• Westergren method

• SPH ESRs are by an automated method

• 24 hrs 7 days per week STATS available upon request

• Available 24 hours a day 7 days a week
• Stat ESRs are not available except in cases of Temporal Arteritis and pediatric patients

• Specimen is retained in the lab for one week

• Specimen is retained in the lab for 72 hours