[Study on measurement and significance of erythrocyte deformability by electron spin resonance (ESR) method]

To study changes in hemorheological factors during normal pregnancy and pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), erthrocyte deformability was measured by the electron spin resonance (ESR) method. The results obtained by this new method showed that erythrocyte deformability in normal pregnant women decreases significantly in comparison with nonpregnant women and in PIH decreases even more. By also utilizing one of the most remarkable advantages of this method which is good reproducibility at high hematocrit, an attempt was made to determine the influence on erythrocyte deformability by changing hematocrit and extracellular viscosity of suspension in order to investigate hemorheological significance of hemodilution in hydremia in normal pregnancy and the hemoconcentration in PIH. It seems that deterioration of erythrocyte deformability is compensated for by hydremia in normal pregnancy. Ultimately in order to lessen the deterioration of erythrocyte deformability, the effect of alpha-tocopherol and isoxsuprine are investigated in vitro. These drugs alleviate erythrocyte deformability in vitro, suggesting that these drugs lessen the disturbance of microcirculation in PIH.