The erythrocyte sedimentation rate.

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate has been used for over 50 years for everything from predicting disease severity to assessing general sickness index. Its perceived utility has been based on medical myths and its use too often based only on a consultant's demand or a shotgun approach to diagnosis. This article focuses on examining the specific utility of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate in the emergency department as a tool for predicting both disease likelihood and severity.