Erythrocyte sedimentation rate

Elevated ESR may suggest chronic inflammation, infection, autoimmune activity, or tissue injury. It is often evaluated alongside C-reactive protein to assess inflammatory disease.

Most adults benefit from yearly ESR screening as part of an inflammation panel. When monitoring a known inflammatory condition, your clinician guides the cadence, typically every 4 to 8 weeks during active disease.

At baseline / for screening: Once every 12 months from age 30 as part of an inflammation panel. More frequently if you have a known chronic inflammatory condition.

When monitoring an intervention or change: Retest 4 to 8 weeks when tracking a known chronic inflammatory condition (rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, vasculitis). After starting or adjusting an anti-inflammatory or disease-modifying medication, the same window captures meaningful change. ESR rises naturally with age and is higher in women than men, so these baseline shifts are normal.

Note: ESR rises naturally with age and is higher in women than men, so these baselines shift over years, not weeks. After acute illness, wait 4 to 6 weeks for ESR to normalize (slower than hs-CRP), then track at the appropriate condition-specific cadence.