Health Science Reports (Jan 2024)

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and red blood cell indices association in pediatrics patients with fever and cough: A cross‐sectional study

  • Mohammad Pourfridoni,
  • Hamidreza Farhadi Rad,
  • Faezeh Mirzaee,
  • Seyede Mahsa Abbasnia,
  • Mehran Nikvarz,
  • Elham Sharifi,
  • Shohreh Shafiei,
  • Yousef Baghcheghi,
  • Asma Amiri Domari,
  • Hedyeh Askarpour

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.1843
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. n/a – n/a

Abstract

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Abstract Background and Aims The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is an essential inflammatory marker in treating some patients, particularly children. The level of ESR can be affected by red blood cell (RBC) indices, and not considering this can complicate the interpretation of ESR and the treatment and follow‐up of patients. The study aimed to assess the association between ESR and RBC indices in children hospitalized with fever and cough in the pediatric ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital, Jiroft, in 2023. Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted to measure the association between ESR and RBC indices in children hospitalized with fever and cough in the pediatric ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital, Jiroft, in 2023. A total of 156 patients participated in the study. SPSS software was used for statistical analysis. Results The mean age of participants was 27.26 ± 3.14 months. The results showed that there is a significant negative correlation between ESR and RBC, r = −0.282 (p < 0.001), and ESR and hematocrit (HCT), r = −0.215 (p = 0.007). Also, the results demonstrated that there is a significant positive correlation between ESR and mean corpuscular volume (MCV), r = 0.159 (p = 0.048), ESR and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), r = 0.214 (p = 0.007), and ESR and mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), r = 0.209 (p = 0.009). There was a negative correlation between ESR and hemoglobin (Hb), r = −0.98 (p = 0.225), but this correlation was insignificant. Conclusion This study showed an association between ESR and RBC indices in hospitalized children with complaints of fever and cough. So, it is necessary that physicians and treatment staff pay attention to the RBC indices while interpreting and following up the results of ESR to complete the treatment process of patients.

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