The<unk>  <unk> , also called<unk> <unk> ,<unk> , or Biernacki Reaction, is a non-specific, indirect measurement of the acute phase reactant concentration which is altered in conditions of inflammation. It is commonly used as a medical screening test. To perform the test, anticoagulated blood is placed in an upright tube, known as a Westergren tube and the<unk>  at which the red blood cells fall is measured and reported in mm/h. When an inflammatory process is present, the high proportion of fibrinogen in the blood causes red blood cells to stick to each other. The red cells form stacks called 'rouleaux' which settle faster. Rouleaux formation can also occur in association with some lymphoproliferative disorders in which one or more immunoglobulins are secreted in high amounts. Rouleaux formation is, however, a physiological finding in some equidae and can be as such in felidae and suidae species, namely the horse, cat and pig respectively. The basal<unk>  is slightly higher in females than males and increases with age. It is also affected by the size, shape, and number of red cells, as well as by other constituents in the blood such as immunoglobulins. The<unk>  is increased in pregnancy, anemia, or  any cause or focus of inflammation and decreased in sickle cell anemia, polycythemia, and congestive heart failure.
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
Intraocular pressure
Creatine kinase
Acute phase protein
Pulse wave velocity
Cardiac marker
Hematocrit
Glycosylated hemoglobin