Clinical Significance of Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate in Tuberculosis

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and still it is a common disease in developing countries. A variety of hematological parameters are studied in tuberculous patients such as decreased Hb(anemia), increased WBC count, increased ESR, and thrombocytopenia. Nowadays TB is a curable and preventable disease. The present study was undertaken to study the ESR values in TB patients and compare their values with ZiehlNelson staining. Method: The present study was carried out on 328 patients who had sputum smear-positive for AFB. based on the recommendation of the RNTCP grading system of AFB in Sputum ZiehlNelson staining, the cases of PTB group were further categorized into four subgroups AFB– 3+, AFB – 2+, AFB –1+ and scanty. The ESR was performed by a rapidly modified Westergren method on EDTA whole blood sample. Results: out of the 324 cases of tuberculosis collected from our hospital, male 252, female 72 from 14-80 years of age. ESR was elevated in patients with an increased grading of sputum positive (3+). The distribution of the mean value of, ESR in different grades of ZN staining of sputum in AFB positive patients was scanty(35.5), 1+(27.5), 2+(30.2),3+(42.4). respectively. Conclusion: Our study concluded that active TB is associated mostly with very high ESR values (≥ 100 mm/h) and with markedly raised values in all the grades of sputum AFB positive patients.