Red blood cell deformability and venous blood P O 2 in diabetics

Abstract

Red cell deformability (filterability) was studied in 17 diabetic patients and 8 healthy subjects by a modified Nuclepore filtration method. Under a pressure difference of 10 cmH₂O, diabetic red cells suspended in autologous plasma took longer (1.75 ± 0.44 msec; mean ± S.D.) than normal red cells (1.23 ± 0.07 msec) to pass through 5 µm filter pores. The indicated decreases of red cell filterability in the diabetics showed a correlation with increases in fasting blood glucose level (correlation coefficient 0.74) and also a correlation with increases in HbA₁ content but with a lower correlation coefficient. In accord with these results, measurements of oxygen partial pressure in venous blood, PvO₂, suggested increased capillary transit times in these patients; values obtained in 8 of the diabetic patients were 35.1 ± 8.6 mmHg, significantly lower than 44.6 ± 2.1 mmHg in the 8 healthy subjects. Effect of pentoxifylline on whole blood filterability was studied in 10 of the patients, in 8 of whom positive changes of blood passage time were obtained.