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Abstract

Background: The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a cornerstone laboratory test for monitoring inflammation. The manual Westergren method, while the established gold standard, is slow and hazardous, prompting a shift towards automation. This study provides a rigorous, head-to-head validation of two mechanistically distinct automated technologies—infrared-barrier photometry (IBP) and near-infrared photometry (NIP)—to assess their analytical performance and operational utility in a tertiary care setting.


Methods: A cross-sectional method comparison study was conducted on 59 outpatient samples at Adam Malik General Hospital, Indonesia. Each sample was analyzed for ESR using the manual Westergren method, the Caretium XC-A30 analyzer (IBP), and the Mindray BC-760 hematology analyzer (NIP). Method agreement was assessed using Passing-Bablok regression and Bland-Altman analysis. Clinical concordance was evaluated using categorized results.


Results: Both automated methods demonstrated excellent agreement with the Westergren reference. Passing-Bablok regression showed no significant proportional or constant bias for either method. The NIP method exhibited a near-perfect regression equation (y = 1.01x - 0.58), while the IBP method also performed well (y = 0.98x + 1.25). Bland-Altman analysis revealed a clinically insignificant mean bias of +0.44 mm/hr for NIP and -4.47 mm/hr for IBP. Clinical concordance was high, with 96.6% of NIP results and 91.5% of IBP results falling within the same clinical category as the Westergren method.


Conclusion: Both automated methods are valid and reliable alternatives to the Westergren method. The NIP technology, in particular, offers a substantial leap in laboratory efficiency by providing results in under two minutes from a standard EDTA sample. Its superior workflow integration and strong analytical performance support its adoption to drastically reduce turnaround times and enhance modern patient care pathways.

Keywords

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate Laboratory automation Method validation Near-infrared photometry Westergren

Article Details

How to Cite
Ester Maduma Napitupulu, Malayana Rahmita Nasution, & Ricke Loesnihari. (2025). Modernizing a Classic Test: Validation and Clinical Utility of Infrared-Barrier and Near-Infrared Photometry for Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Determination. Bioscientia Medicina : Journal of Biomedicine and Translational Research, 9(9), 8885-8899. https://doi.org/10.37275/bsm.v9i9.1394