We studied the effect of some dialytic membrane on tissular oxygenation (TO) and erythrocyte deformability (ED). Sixteen patients (10 M and 6 F, aged 59
\pm
12 years) have been submitted to bicarbonate dialysis (BD) and subdivided into four groups (GR) of 4 patients each: GR 1 (hemophan membrane, 35 BD), GR 2 (polyacrylonitrile, PAN AN 69, 42 BD), GR 3 (polysulphone, 38 BD) and GR 4 (polycarbonate, 37 BD). The TO has been detected with the transcutaneous oxygen pressure (Tc pO
_{2 }
) using a transcutaneous oxymeter and the ED has been evaluated with the EMI (Erythrocyte Morphometric Index), which results from the ratio between deformable erythrocytes (bowl shape) and rigid erythrocytes (discocyte shape), for every 100 red cells fixed in vitro with 0.3% glutaraldehyde. The ED was also evaluated using a laser instrument: Laser Optical Rotational Cell Analyser. During BD was observed a significant decrease of Tc pO
_{2 }
in the 1st hour only in the 1st and 2nd GR and, in contrast with results obtained in the 3rd and 4th GR, in the same GRs the EMI showed a significant reduction of ED at the end of BD. Finally the LORCA results, showing a significant decrease of ED only in the 1st and 2nd GR, confirmed the data obtained with EMI. In conclusion, our study has suggested that hemophan and PAN AN 69 are less biocompatible than polysulphone and polycarbonate membranes according to effects on ED and TO.
