Abstract
Blood behaves like a suspension of deformable particles in a macromolecular medium and blood viscosity is conditioned by a number of factors. The determining factors include in particular: macroscopic factors (hematocrit, plasma proteins...), physical factors (temperature, shear rate...) and microrheological factors (internal viscosity, mechanical properties of the erythrocyte membrane...). Considered from this general viewpoint, the rheological modifications which are liable to be encountered during diseases may be related to:
an increase in the number of blood elements, an increase in plasma protein levels, the appearance of an abnormal protein and a change in erythrocyte aggregation, an increase in internal erythrocyte viscosity, reduced elasticity or change in the shape of the erythrocyte.
On the basis of this data, the author has examined a classification of the main hemorheological disturbances encountered during hematological diseases.
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