Affiliations: The 1st Department of Medicine Division of Cardiology, University of Pecs School of Medicine, Hungary | Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pecs School of Medicine, Hungary
Note: [] Corresponding author: Kalman Toth, The 1st Department of Medicine Division of Cardiology, University of Pecs School of Medicine, Ifjusag ut 13, Pecs, 7643, Hungary. Tel.: +36 72 536 001/1781; Fax: +36 72 536 148; E‐mail: tothk@clinics.pote.hu.
Abstract: Red blood cell (RBC) aggregation is an important component of whole blood viscosity, especially at low shear rates, and is the major cause of the non‐Newtonian flow properties of normal blood. In different laboratories several methods are used to determine RBC aggregation, therefore the standardization of aggregation measurements is especially important for getting comparable results. Aggregation indices of 62 human blood samples were determined by two different methods; LORCA (Laser‐assisted Optical Rotational Cell Analyzer) and Myrenne aggregometers and related to plasma fibrinogen concentration. Our results show closer correlation values between RBC aggregation and fibrinogen concentration, when RBC aggregation was measured by LORCA (p<0.001), although correlation could be revealed with Myrenne, when plasma fibrinogen level was less than 4.5 g/l. Correlation coefficient between aggregation indices measured by LORCA and Myrenne aggregometers was also closer below this fibrinogen level. In vitro examination of RBC aggregation in fibrinogen solutions showed that higher fibrinogen concentration results in higher RBC aggregation only up to a certain level similarly to that found in human whole blood samples. Our results show that plasma fibrinogen level has an important, concentration dependent effect on RBC aggregation in human blood, but above a certain level it may not cause further aggregate formation.
