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Abstract

Introduction: Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) measures the rate of sedimentation of erythrocyte in millimeters of an anticoagulated whole blood. It is commonly used to screen for inflammation. This study aims to evaluate the performance of an automated ESR method in comparison with manual Westergren method and assesses its correlation across various demographic and clinical presentations.
Objective: To compare the utility of Automated ESR analyzer with routine Westergren Manual method.
Materials And Methods: A diagnostic study of 300 blood samples were analyzed for ESR estimation by Automated method and Westergren method.  The study population was stratified by age, sex, and symptomatic status. Mean ESR values were compared across subgroups using appropriate statistical tests such as t-test. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to assess the relationship between the two methods.
Results: A significant correlation was observed while comparing Automated and Manual Westergren method of Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate with correlation coefficient of 0.987 (r > 0.97, p < 0.001) across all subgroups. Mean ESR values varied significantly with age and were slightly higher in females compared to males, consistent with known physiological variations. Symptomatic patients exhibited significantly higher mean ESR values compared to asymptomatic individuals.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates excellent correlation between the Automated method and Manual Westergren method across diverse demographic and clinical categories. The automated method offers a reliable, efficient, and potentially more precise alternative to the manual Westergren method for ESR determination. So, this study supports the replacement of the manual Westergren method with the automated method for routine ESR testing.