Preferred Specimen(s) Two 3 mL whole blood in EDTA vacutainer, fresh slide smear
Instructions Slide smear should be dry and thin
Transport Container
- EDTA Vial (lavender top tube),
- Sodium citrate vial (black-top tube)
Transport Temperature Room temperature or Refrigerated; Stability 48 hrs
Reject Criteria
- Heparinized sample;
- frozen;
- hemolyzed specimen
Methodology Cell Counter/Microscopic examination/ Westergren Method
ESR testing should be performed within 24 hours of specimen collection. An alternative acute inflammatory marker is C reactive Protein (CRP).