Affiliations: UDLA, Puebla, Departamento de Ciencias Químico-Biológicas, Cholula, Puebla, México | Mécanique et Ingénierie Cellulaire et Tissulaire, Faculté de Médecine, Université Henri Poincaré, Nancy 1, Vandœuvre lès Nancy, France | Grupo de Óptica Aplicada (Bio-Óptica), Instituto de Física Rosario (CONICET-UNR), Rosario, Argentina | Lab. de Inmunohematología-Hemorreología, Fac. Cs. Bioq. y Farmac., Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Argentina | Área Física, Fac. Cs. Bioq. y Farmac. Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Argentina
Note: [] Corresponding author: Dr. Laura Verónica Plá, Universidad de las Américas, Puebla, Departamento de Ciencias Químico-Biológicas, Sta. Catarina Mártir s/n, Cholula 72820, Puebla, México. Tel.: +52 222 229 24 11; Fax: +52 222 229 24 19; E-mail: laurav.pla@udlap.mx.
Abstract: The aim of this study was to analyze the strength of red blood cells agglutination, induced by autoantibodies in patients with Cold-Agglutinin Hemolytic Disease (CAHD), and the hemorheological profile (deformability and osmotic fragility) by the utilization of rheo-optical techniques. The strength of the antigen–antibody reaction was approached by the work required to dissociate mechanically red blood cells agglutinates. It is focused on the evaluation of the qualitative adhesiveness of cell approached by the dissociation kinetics carried out in a Couette flow (erythroaggregameter). The analysis was performed by recording the increase of the reflectivity signal as the agglutinates are dissociated by shear into smaller ones. A total of eight patients aged <54 years with recent diagnostic of CAHD detected by positive Direct Anti-globulin Test (DAT) and very low RBC counts at 20°C, were studied. Two parametric values were interesting: the dimensionless energy parameter and the characteristic dissociation time, which showed good correlation with hematological parameters. In conclusion, the dissociation method provides a powerful tool for estimating the qualitative adhesiveness of red blood cells agglutinated by autoantibodies in patients suffering of cold-agglutinin hemolytic disease and it would be very interesting to evaluate the severity of the disease.
