Blood sedimentation rate in allergic disease: A study of 150 nonselected allergic patients

Abstract

1. 1. In a series of 150 allergic patients, in all of whom the allergic diagnosis was definitely established, there were only 14 patients with abnormally slow sedimentation rates, or 9.3 per cent of the total. 2. 2. There was a predominance of hay fever cases in the group with slow sedimentation, and a predominance of asthma in the normal and faster than normal groups. 3. 3. No female patients in this series of 150 cases had a slow sedimentation rate. 4. 4. Fifty per cent of the patients with abnormally slow sedimentation rates had been operated upon previously with no bad after-effects. 5. 5. The physical findings in the patients with slow sedimentation rates were in no way different from the average findings in allergic patients. 6. 6. A normal sedimentation rate in allergic patients is not indicative of the presence of some more or less serious complication. 7. 7. Allergic patients with moderately fast and especially with fast sedimentation rates, ought to be studied very carefully in order not to overlook any accompanying condition, especially tuberculosis. 8. 8. While the sedimentation test is nonspecific in its nature, it is important in that an abnormally fast sedimentation rate seems to be indicative of a serious destructive process in the body and acts as a timely warning signal. As such, it deserves a place among the routine laboratory procedures.