ABSTRACT

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate is a time-dependent, easily applied and a commonly used laboratory test by scientists to determine diagnosis and prognosis measuring the sedimentation rate of red blood cells. In this study we investigated the diagnostic profiles and diseases of children with very high sedimentation rates. The files of the patients hospitalized at the Department of Pediatrics were retrospectively reviewed. Age, gender, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, diagnosis and hospitalization length of children with a sedimentation rate over 100 mm/h were recorded and analyzed. Sixty six patients were included in the study. The mean erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 111.42±14.83 mm/h. When the distribution according to the disease groups was analyzed, the highest rate (54.5%) was of infectious diseases. Of all the patients, 16.7% and 12.1% were in the groups of a rheumatismal disease and a kidney disease, respectively. Among the infectious diseases, pneumonia was the most commonly encountered diagnosis in 9 patients (25%). Among the patients with rheumatologic diseases, acute rheumatic fever was the most frequently encountered diagnosis (45.5%). Acute pyelonephritis was the most common diagnosis encountered in patients with kidney diseases (50%). High erythrocyte sedimentation rates were most commonly associated with infectious diseases.