- With Mayo Clinic rheumatologist
April Chang-Miller, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
April Chang-Miller, M.D.
April Chang-Miller, M.D.
Dr. April Chang-Miller is board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology and is a consultant in the Division of Rheumatology at Mayo Clinic in Arizona.
Dr. Chang-Miller's primary field is rheumatology with special interests in inflammatory joint diseases called seronegative spondyloarthropathies, such as ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis. She also cares for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and polymyalgia rheumatica.
The New York City native is a graduate of the Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Chang-Miller joined the Mayo Clinic staff in Rochester, Minn., in 1991, and in 2002 she relocated to Mayo Clinic in Arizona. She is a fellow in the American College of Rheumatology and has been on the board of directors of the Arthritis Foundation North Central Chapter.
Causes (1)
- Is fibromyalgia hereditary?
Complications (1)
- Fibromyalgia: Can it cause elevated ESR and CRP levels?
Treatments and drugs (3)
- Milnacipran (Savella) for fibromyalgia: What makes it different?
- Fibromyalgia treatment: Is Neurontin effective?
- TENS therapy: An option for fibromyalgia treatment?
Alternative medicine (1)
- Cupping therapy: Can it relieve fibromyalgia pain?
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Question
Fibromyalgia: Can it cause elevated ESR and CRP levels?
I have fibromyalgia. Whenever my rheumatologist does blood tests, I'm told that I have elevated ESR and CRP levels. What's the significance of these test results?
Answer
from April Chang-Miller, M.D.
An elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) or a high level of C-reactive protein (CRP) in your blood may indicate inflammation somewhere in your body. However, it's not likely related to your fibromyalgia, since fibromyalgia isn't an inflammatory condition. Various conditions can cause elevated ESR and CRP levels, including:
- Infection
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Cardiovascular disease
- Cancer
To better understand the clinical significance of your elevated ESR and CRP levels, consult your doctor.
Next questionMilnacipran (Savella) for fibromyalgia: What makes it different?
- ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate): The test. American Association for Clinical Chemistry. http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/esr/test.html. Accessed Aug. 5, 2010.
- CRP (C-reactive protein): The test. American Association for Clinical Chemistry. http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/crp/test.html. Accessed Aug. 5, 2010.
- Fibromyalgia: What is it? American Association for Clinical Chemistry. http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/conditions/fibromyalgia.html. Accessed Aug. 5, 2010.
- Goldenberg DL. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of fibromyalgia in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 5, 2010.
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