Blood Test Results

[Golf-1]

I am approaching my first anniversary with PMR and have read lots of interesting and helpful information on this Forum in the past twelve months.

I have got to grips with tapering, and my GP trusts me to manage it if I can.

My question now is a technical one. In the past 12 months I have had several blood tests and each time up until last week, I have been told everything is at it should be. Last week GP rang me and said inflammatory indicators had gone up a little which coincided with pain in hands, one hip and neck. GP suggested I go back up 2mg of Prednisolone (to 8mg) stay there for 2 weeks and if I feel ok reduce to 7mg for a further 6 weeks, to have further blood tests in 6 weeks time, and check back with him.

I am OK with all of this but I do not know how to read my Blood Test Results, I get a page of names and numbers but do not know what I am looking at or what I should be looking for?

On this Forum I often see Results referred to by abbreviated letters, I regret I do not understand them or their importance.

Any help on this would be very much appreciated

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Have a read of this from FAQs for a start -re blood tests -

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

And this re abbreviations-

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[PMRpro Ambassador]

The inflammatory markers are almost always ESR, also referred to as sed rate, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and CRP, c-reactive protein.

ESR is a measure of the rate at which red blood cells fall to the bottom of a vertical tube and CRP is a protein produced in the liver in response to inflammation or infection present in the body.

The first number you see is the level they have measured and in brackets after it is usually the range that is accepted as normal in your local lab. It may vary slightly from lab to lab and with the exact method used and sometimes the units used may be different.

[Golf-1 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you ladies for your replies, I think I now know what to look for re ESR & CRP, you will see my previous results below from Sept. I have asked for latest taken 2 weeks ago so that I can compare

black and white small print

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Golf-1]

That ESR is very low - very good. CRP isn't on that list - done in a different lab on a different sample.

[Golf-1 in reply to Golf-1]

sorry for some reason this page did not copy

black & White small print

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Golf-1]

And there the CRP is also in normal range. All good. And there is a note under it pointing out they have changed their method and the numbers may be different,

[Golf-1 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you - It is all the "Notes" & "Numbers" that confuse me, but from what you say I seem to be having a fairly "Normal" PMR journey - if there is such a thing!!! - generally tapering down the Pred with a slight hiccup this past few weeks which my GP is addressing.

[Golf-1 in reply to PMRpro]

I have now obtained latest Test results and note that my CPR had gone up to 7 mgL where Range suggests it should be below 5mgL if I am reding this correctly? and this is why my GP has increased my Pred to 8mg - it does not look as though they tested the ESR unless it is disguised as something else?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Golf-1]

Did you have a cold? A chest infection will send CRP into the stratosphere - which is why they should hold off if you don't have symptoms and check again to see what is happening. Symptoms and raised marker = flare and needs more pred, no question.

[Golf-1 in reply to PMRpro]

No Cold or anything else, actually felt OK apart from pain in hands, hip and neck which I am learning to manage and has got a lot better since going back up to 8MG Pred

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Golf-1]

He was right then - you were verging on a flare. Right action taken!

[Golf-1 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you for your time, it your help is very much appreciated

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Golf-1]

Why we're here!

[winfong]

By the by, I've had to interpret a lot of lab results over the years. They are not what I'd call very patient-friendly. I was, though, able to find tons of useful information by simply Goggling the abbreviation, followed by "medical term", as well as the abbreviation followed by "ranges".

[Golf-1 in reply to winfong]

Thank you very much, - DorsetLady kindly pointed me in that sort of direction, - for me there is a lot more information than I probably need - it is just understanding what is relevant to me and PMR that I was after and am now getting to grips with