Abstract
Red blood cell (RBC) aggregation was determined in elderly subjects (mean age over 80 years) by using two ultrasonic (interferometry and backscattering) methods and compared with RBC aggregation measured in young healthy volunteers (mean age below 30 years). The two time parameters (tm and Δt) given by the interferometry method and the backscattering coefficient χ given by the backscattering method have been shown to be connected to the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and to the RBC aggregate size respectively. The results show that elderly subjects display hemorheological parameters significantly altered compared to those of young healthy volunteers. Long term treatment of elderly patients (3 months) with a RBC anti-aggregant (dihydroergo cryptine) demonstrates an improvement of hemorheological parameters (Δt: + 10 %; χ coefficient: −29 %), in spite of a moderate increase of fibrinogenemia, and corroborates the favourable effects of the compound previously found in animals.
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