Comparison of Automated (ISED) ESR Estimation with Conventional (WESTERGREN) Method for Validation of Automated Results

Abstract

Background: ESR inspite of being considered as a non-specific heamatological test is widely used for the detection of autoimmune diseases, infections and cancers. Although conventional gold standard methods are considered accurate and authentic but are having few biohazard risks and are more time consuming so are thought to be replaced by automated methods which are less time consuming and not much expensive but need to be validated by comparing them with conventional manual (Westergren) method.

Objective: To compare the ESR values by conventional ESR method i.e. Westergren method with automated ESR estimation by ISED (ALCOR) to validate the results obtained by automated method.

Study design: A Prospective cross-sectional study

Study duration and settings: Study was conducted at Pathology Department Pak Emirates Military Hospital Rawalpindi from November 2021 to April 2022.

Material and methods: All samples were processed within 1 hour of venipuncture. Hemolyzed samples were discarded. To separate EDTA sample tubes were taken and 3ml venous blood was collected in each tube respectively.

Results: 200 samples in total were used for Westergren's (Manual Method) and ISED's ESR estimates (Automated Method). Mean age of the patients was 50.74 ± 16.84 years range from 8 to 88 years, out of total 54 % patients were male and 46 % were females, 51 % patients from OPD and 49 % were admitted patients

Conclusion: The conventional Gold standard method has proven to be more efficient by CV % but p-value calculated individually as well as in all cases was statistically insignificant > 0.05%.

Keywords:  Automated method, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate, Westergren method.