Guidelines for measurement of blood viscosity and erythrocyte deformability

Article type: Brief Report

Authors: Bull, B.S.^a | Chien, S.^a | Dormandy, J.A.^b | Kiesewetter, H.^c | Lewis, S.M.^b | Lowe, G.D.O.^b | Meiselman, H.J.^a | Shohet, S.B.^a | Stoltz, J.F.^d | Stuart, J.^{b; *} | Teitel, P.^c

Affiliations: [a] USA | [b] UK | [c] FRG | [d] France

Note: [*] Reprint requests to: Professor J. Stuart, Department of Haematology, The Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TJ, UK

Note: [] Accepted by: Editor-in-Chief A.L. Copley

Abstract: This ICSH document proposes guidelines for rheological methods in clinical studies. These methods include the measurement of blood viscosity and erythrocyte deformability. The guidelines concern reference populations for clinical studies, standardization of the blood collection procedure, laboratory processing of blood samples, measurement of haematological indices on rheological samples, and the evaluation of rheological instruments and rheologically-active drugs. Adoption of these guidelines should improve comparability between rheological laboratories and increase the reliability of rheological tests.

Keywords: Rheology, Blood viscosity, Erythrocyte deformability

DOI: 10.3233/CH-1986-6510

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 6, no. 5, pp. 439-453, 1986