Red blood cells deformability and oxidative stress in acute pancreatitis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the RBC deformability and oxidative stress parameters during acute pancreatitis. Healthy volunteers and patients with mild or severe acute pancreatitis were evaluated. There were no changes in erythrocyte's deformability in patients with mild acute pancreatitis. In severe acute pancreatitis loss of deformability of erythrocytes was observed. Serum lipofuscin level increased both in mild and severe form of the disease. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was increased in erythrocytes from mild and severe form without systemic complications and was positively correlated with erythrocyte's deformability in a severe form of acute pancreatitis. Significant positive correlation between serum total antioxidant status and deformability of erythrocytes in healthy humans and negative correlation in mild pancreatitis were found.