Abstract
Summary
The conventional erythrocyte sedimentation rate and the packed red cell volume procedures have been modified to effect more than a 50% reduction in the operational time required. The essence of the modification consists in determining the sedimentation rates and hematocrit values directly in the original blood collection tube without the necessity of the usual transfer to a secondary 7 calibrated hematocrit tube. This is accomplished by employing a proportional volume chart which gives the sedimentation rate or hematocrit value for the red cells irrespective of the sample volume fluctuations. All values are expressed as percentages rather than the absolute measurements commonly employed. Erythrocyte sedimentation time is reduced from the standard of 60 to 30 minutes, and hematocrit centrifugation time is reduced from 30 to 10 minutes to yield approximately equivalent values. The method has been successfully tested with over 10,000 patient blood samples. The procedure may also be used for similar proportional measurements with ascitic fluid, tissue homogenates, bacterial suspensions, etc., with no need for exact sample volume or calibrated tubes.
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