John,
the responses so far have been very interesting. So far there is a majority with O+ blood type. Some get elevated indicators and others have remained normal. The extension of this qquestion seems to be whether or not one is HLAB27 negative or positive.
Since the ESR and CRP measure inflammation one has to wonder why these measures are not elevated for some and are elevated for others. What is the impact of the anti-inflamatories on these measures? From my own experience, I found that once I cut down on the NSAIDS my markers began to change dramatically, even though they remain "mild". Another marker of interest is the one that measures the lymphoctyes. The change in this marker, such that the lab suggested lymphoctyosis, could also be relevant in determining whether or not the other markers will be raised.
Then there is the issue of ANA - the anti-nuclear antibody is another inflammation marker. My ANA result has suddenly been on the rise. Five years ago it was 1:40 and now it is 1:160. At the same time my ESR had become elevated for the first time, and I had a CRP reading of 19.
My bone scan is the one thing that gives a real clue about how much inflammation there is in my body. Then there are the changes that are being noted on x-ray. What is so puzzling is that the change in my right sacroiliac joint was overlooked as far back as 1989 and 1990. At that stage my ESR was reading as normal.
