Red blood cell deformability in polycythaemia vera does not depend on hypochromic microcytosis

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Orlando, E. | Cortelazzo, S. | Barbui, T.^{; *}

Affiliations: Department of Haematology, Ospedali Riuniti di Bergamo, Italy

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Prof. T. Barbui, Reparto di Ematologia, Ospedali Riuniti di Bergamo, Iargo Barozzi, I–24100 Bergamo - Italy.

Note: [] Accepted by: Editor T. Di Perri

Abstract: Dilute suspension of EDTAK2 anticoagulated red blood cells from 28 patients with polycythaemia vera and 22 healthy controls were filtered through 5 µm polycarbonate filters under a vacuum of 10 cm H2O. The mean erythrocyte filtration times (EFT), taken as a measure of red blood deformability, were not statistically different in patients in comparison to controls. However a group of 39% of patients showed EFT two standard deviations above the mean of controls; the values were unrelated to MCV and MCH of erythrocytes.

Keywords: Polycythaemia Vera, RBC filterability, hypocromic microcytosis

DOI: 10.3233/CH-1988-8204

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 163-168, 1988