The changes of low‐shear‐rate hemorheological properties depending on the fluid used for transfusion

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Marcinkowska‐Gapińska, Anna^; | Kowal, Piotr | Chałupka, Zbigniew

Affiliations: Rheological Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences in Poznań, Przybyszewskiego 49, 60‐355 Poznań, Poland | Anaesthesia and Intensive Therapy Division, Fraciszek Raszeja Hospital, Mickiewicza 2, 60‐834 Poznań, Poland

Note: [] Corresponding author: Rheological Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences in Poznań, Przybyszewskiego 49, 60‐355 Poznań, Poland. Tel.: +48 61 869 1580; Fax: +48 61 869 1697; E‐mail: margap@poczta.onet.pl.

Abstract: We investigated the influence of kind of fluids used for transfusion – crystalloids and colloids – on the rheological parameters of blood with a special focus on the range of low shear rates. The blood viscosity measurements were performed with the use of a rotary‐oscillatory rheometer Contraves LS 40. The investigation includes the measurements of blood viscosity and a hematocrit value at three stages: before, just after and two hours after transfusion. On the basis of results obtained for a group of patients prepared for procedures in epidural anaesthesia we concluded that the dilution effect for colloids (HES and dextran) was maintained longer then for crystalloids (Ringer solution). Measurements of blood viscosity at the shear rate of 1 s−1 showed that this viscosity had the smallest value in the group of patients with HES 200/0.5 as a transfusion fluid (p<0.001).

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 27, no. 3-4, pp. 171-176, 2002