Abstract

Background: We evaluated the measurement of length of sedimentation reaction in blood (LSRB) by TEST 1 and compared the results with those for the Westergren and Sed Rate Screener 100 (SRS 100) methods.

Methods: LSRB was measured in 113 paired blood samples.

Results: TEST 1 correlated significantly with the Westergren (r=0.94) and SRS 100 (r=0.90) methods with low bias (−0.29 and −1.92 mm/h, respectively) and limits of agreement (−14.5 to 13.9, and −23.4 to 19.6 mm/h, respectively). Hematocrit (Htc) correlated negatively with LSRB in TEST 1 (r=−0.54) and SRS 100 (r=−0.53) only in samples with high Htc (≥35%). The bias and limits of agreement between TEST 1 and Westergren in samples with low (−1.46 and −22.3 to 19.3 mm/h) and high (0.43 and −7.29 to 8.14 mm/h) Htc were comparable to those between SRS 100 and Westergren (1.83 and −27.2 to 30.9 mm/h for low, 0.71 and −7.27 to 8.70 mm/h for high Htc samples). Total protein and fibrinogen correlated similarly with LSRB in both TEST 1 (r=0.23 and 0.48, respectively) and SRS 100 (r=0.30 and 0.51, respectively).

Conclusions: The findings suggested that TEST 1 is a reliable, precise and accurate system for measurement of LSRB in clinical laboratories with high workload.