Blood (Body) Sedimentation Rate

determining the rate of descent of the blood cells in an uncoagulated blood sample (generally in citrate blood, a 1:4 or 1:5 mixture of sodium citrate and freshly collected blood) from the rate of sedimentation of the erythrocytes caused by agglomeration.

This is usually done according to the →Westergren method, whereby the 1- and 2-hour values in mm are read from the graduation of the small-lumen, vertically positioned, 200 mm long special glass tubes. The normal values are 3-8 and 5-18 mm for men and 6-11 and 6-20 mm for women; higher values (BSG acceleration) are found, e.g. for inflammatory increases in globulins, acute phase proteins (and relative reductions in albumins) and for qualitative and quantitative changes in erythrocytes.