Whole blood viscosity in beta thalassemia minor

Patients with heterozygous beta-thalassemia minor have a decreased hematocrit (HCT). Since the HCT is a primary determinant of whole blood viscosity, the known reduction in HCT in beta-thalassemia minor should lead to a measurable reduction of whole blood viscosity. The influence of the relatively lower mean corpuscular volume and consequent higher red blood cell count and beta-thalassemia minor on whole blood viscosity using a microporous viscometer has not previously been the subject of investigation. Accordingly, the blood of a group of normal and beta-thalassemia minor subjects was examined with a microporous viscometer to elucidate further the relations between whole blood viscosity, HCT, and red blood cell count. The data show that for normal and beta-thalassemia minor subjects a significant positive correlation (r = 0.65, p less than 0.01) exists between HCT and whole blood viscosity. However, the slope of the regression of whole blood viscosity and HCT of beta-thalassemia minor subjects was significantly higher z = 3.14, p less than 0.001) than that of normals. Thus, for any given HCT their whole blood viscosity was higher than that of normals. Studies of the relation of red blood cell counts to whole blood viscosity indicate the higher whole blood viscosity at a given HCT was related to the increased red blood cell counts in beta-thalassemia minor subjects. Because of the opposing interactions of HCT and red blood cell counts, the mean whole blood viscosity of the group of beta-thalassemia minor subjects examined was not significantly lower than the normal whole blood viscosity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)