Abstract
Although the importance of local microcirculatory disturbances in ischemic disorders has been generally recognized, clinical observations from the view point of hemorheology have not been intensively made because of difficulties in the detection of changes occurring in microcirculation. Decreased erythrocyte deformability in capillaries results gradually in the stagnation of blood, thrombus formation and ischemic lesion in the perf used tissues. Clinical hemorheological observations can be of benefit for a better understanding and the establishment of preventive and therapeutic measures against the ischemic disorders. Useful informations about the hemorheology of the diseases will be offered by measurement of deformability index (DI).
In this study, the fasting antecubital venous blood specimens of 116 healthy adults were investigated for DI developed by Reid, et al. and some blood constituents which can affect the microcirculation by changes in erythrocyte deformability and blood viscosity.
DI decreased with advancing age. In the twenties, DI was significantly higher than those in all other age groups.
The level of ATP, which influences the erythrocyte deformability modifying rigidity of membrane, was significantly low in subjects aged over 60 compared with those in the other age groups.
Fibrinogen and lipid peroxide levels in subjects aged over 60 were significantly higher than those in subjects aged 20 to 39.
As a whole, DI was directly proportional to ATP content, and inversely to hematocrit, hemoglobin, lactate and fibrinogen levels in subjects examined. This fact might reflect the changes in the blood flow with increasing age, being affected by the peculiarity of vessel wall, blood pressure and blood filtrability.
No relation between DI and platelet adhesiveness may suggest that platelet adhesiveness is less responsible for the blood filtrability than fibrinogen level.
As mentioned above, deteriorative factors in the tissue microcirculation including decreased erythrocyte deformability, ATP, lactate and fibrinogen levels can be detected in antecubital venous blood. More valuable informations can be obtained by simultaneous measurements of these factors.
