A survey of ESR and eosinophil count in a racially mixed population in New Zealand.

A volunteer study in a racially mixed community in New Zealand has shown marked differences between ESRS in healthy European, Maori, and Cook Island subjects. As expected, females had higher ESRs than males. In the European group the values fell close to the Westergren normal range, but the Maori group had a significant number abnormal, with Islander group showing more abnormalities. Occult bacterial or parasitic infections may explain high ESRs in Islanders, but mycobacteria and microfilaria are considered unlikely causes. Islanders have a high incidence of elevated eosinophil count, but this is not associated with high ESR, or the converse. The oral contraceptive pill causes significant elevation of ESR in European females. Further study is needed to establish causes of the abnormal ESRs detected.