I-ESR, ekwaziwa ngokuba yi-erythrocyte sedimentation rate, inxulumene ne-plasma viscosity, ingakumbi amandla okuhlanganisana phakathi kwee-erythrocytes. Amandla okuhlanganisana phakathi kweeseli ezibomvu zegazi makhulu, izinga lokudibanisa kwee-erythrocyte likhawuleza, kwaye ngokuchaseneyo. Ke ngoko, izinga lokudibanisa kwee-erythrocyte lidla ngokusetyenziswa ngokwezonyango njengophawu lokuhlanganiswa kwee-inter-erythrocyte. I-ESR luvavanyo olungachazwanga kwaye alunakusetyenziswa lodwa ukufumanisa nasiphi na isifo.

I-ESR isetyenziswa kakhulu kwiiklinikhi xa kuziwa kwezi zinto zilandelayo:

1. Ukuze kujongwe utshintsho kunye nemiphumo yokunyanga isifo sephepha kunye nomkhuhlane wamathambo, i-ESR ekhawulezileyo ibonisa ukuba isifo siphinda sibuyele kwaye siyasebenza; xa isifo siphucuka okanye siyeka, i-ESR iphinda ibuyele esiqhelweni kancinci kancinci. Ikwasetyenziswa njengesalathiso ekuxilongweni.

2. Ukuxilongwa ngokwahlukileyo kwezifo ezithile, ezifana ne-myocardial infarction kunye ne-angina pectoris, umhlaza wesisu kunye nesilonda esiswini, ubunzima bomhlaza we-pelvic kunye ne-ovarian cyst engantsonkothanga. I-ESR yanda kakhulu kwi-ovarian cyst, ngelixa i-ovarian cyst yayiqhelekile okanye inyukile kancinci.

3. Kwizigulane ezine-myeloma eninzi, inani elikhulu le-globulin engaqhelekanga livela kwi-plasma, kwaye izinga lokutsalwa kwe-erythrocyte likhawuleza kakhulu. Izinga lokutsalwa kwe-erythrocyte lingasetyenziswa njengenye yeempawu ezibalulekileyo zokuxilonga.

4. I-ESR ingasetyenziswa njengesalathisi selabhoratri somsebenzi we-rheumatoid arthritis. Xa isigulane siphilile, izinga lokutsalwa kwe-erythrocyte linokwehla. Nangona kunjalo, ukuphononongwa kweklinikhi kubonisa ukuba kwezinye izigulane ezine-rheumatoid arthritis, izinga lokutsalwa kwe-erythrocyte linokwehla (kungekhona rhoqo) ngelixa iimpawu kunye neempawu ezifana nentlungu yamalungu, ukudumba kunye nokuqina kwasekuseni ziphucukile, kodwa kwezinye izigulane, nangona iimpawu zamalungu eklinikhi ziphelile ngokupheleleyo, kodwa izinga lokutsalwa kwe-erythrocyte alizange lehle, kwaye ligcinwe kwinqanaba eliphezulu.