Comparison of the Wintrobe erythrocyte sedimentation rate with the zeta sedimentation ratio

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) determinations performed by the Wintrobe method were correlated with a newer, rapid method, the zeta sedimentation ratio (ZSR), in 189 adult patients. Good correlation between the two methods was achieved over a wide range of values, with a correlation coefficient of 0.88 in female and 0.92 in male subjects. The precision of each method was evaluated by performing ten replicate determinations for 11 patients. The average variance for the ZSR was 2.91%, compared with 7.04% for the Wintrobe ESR; a difference significant at p < 0.01. Good correlation with standard methods, speed of performance and superior precision make the ZSR an attractive alternate procedure for the determination of the sedimentation rate.