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Suggest Treatment For Sinus, Cough And Broncitis
Question: My mother (84 yrs.) had a count of 51 on her sedimentation rate-westergren test. She just recently got over infection of the sinuses and cough, with bronchitis. Her dr. wants to see her after she read the blood test results. Does this test mean she has some type of disease?
Brief Answer:
Wait and see. Your doctor is right. Let the labs come
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for asking
I read your question and i understand your concern. Raised ESR of 51 is very unspecific test and the only thing it indicates is some inflammatory process going on. It needs further correlation. It also may show an infective process going on but there are more specific measures to be sure about the disease or infecion like blood picture, leukocyte counts, culture and sensitivity and swabs tests of the focus of illness like throat or any other wound site.
With history of recent sinusitis and bronchitis and age of 84, i believe it may be respiratory tract infection or pneumonia . A chest radiography and if need be CT thorax will help localise the lesions. Your doctor is ery right. Waiting for the further labs before starting your mother on antibiotics is the right option here. One can not just shoot for treatment with raised ESR which is pretty much insignificant as the age advances due to multiple age related causes to increase it like age related articular degeneration etc.
Nutshell, wait and see for further labs and then starting the treatment for likely recurrent respiratory tract infection if need be.
I hope it helps. Take good care of yourself and your mother and dont forget to close the discussion please.
Regards
Khan
Wait and see. Your doctor is right. Let the labs come
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for asking
I read your question and i understand your concern. Raised ESR of 51 is very unspecific test and the only thing it indicates is some inflammatory process going on. It needs further correlation. It also may show an infective process going on but there are more specific measures to be sure about the disease or infecion like blood picture, leukocyte counts, culture and sensitivity and swabs tests of the focus of illness like throat or any other wound site.
With history of recent sinusitis and bronchitis and age of 84, i believe it may be respiratory tract infection or pneumonia . A chest radiography and if need be CT thorax will help localise the lesions. Your doctor is ery right. Waiting for the further labs before starting your mother on antibiotics is the right option here. One can not just shoot for treatment with raised ESR which is pretty much insignificant as the age advances due to multiple age related causes to increase it like age related articular degeneration etc.
Nutshell, wait and see for further labs and then starting the treatment for likely recurrent respiratory tract infection if need be.
I hope it helps. Take good care of yourself and your mother and dont forget to close the discussion please.
Regards
Khan
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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