Affiliations: The Dr. J. Kaufmann Hematology Laboratory, Faculty of Health Sciences, Physiology Department, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel | The Gonda Multidisciplinary Diabetes Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel | The Diabetes Unit, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel
Note: [] Corresponding author: Prof. N. Meyerstein, Dr. Joseph Kaufmann Hematology Laboratory, Physiology Department, Faculty of Health Science, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel. Fax: +972 8 6477628; Tel: +972 8 6477326; E-mail: naomi@bgumail.bgu.ac.il.
Abstract: The present study was designed to study RBC aggregability in type 1 and type 2 DM by a new method based on the dielectric properties of disperse systems. This dielectric method has a significantly higher sensitivity to detect enhanced RBC aggregation in DM than other methods. Aggregability is increased in type 1 DM and even more markedly in type 2 diabetic patients. The enhanced RBC aggregation in type 1 diabetes was significantly correlated with the levels of HbA1C, cholesterol and triglycerides. However, no correlation between metabolic control and RBC aggregability was found in type 2 DM. The in vitro addition of non-toxic, low molecular weight dextran improves the high RBC aggregation in diabetes type 2. In the future, low molecular weight dextran may be used in DM patients clinically to lower the risk for vascular complications, after the problem of filtration is solved.
Keywords: Erythrocyte aggregation, diabetes, HbA[TeX:] $_{1C}$, cholesterol and triglycerides' level
