Reduced erythrocyte deformability in anemic rats with adjuvant arthritis

Erythrocytes in anemic rats with adjuvant arthritis (AA) were less deformable compared with normal rats. Swelling of the spleen was noticed in anemic rats with AA. The treatment of anemic rats with recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO; 30 and 100 U/kg, i.v., for 5 days) resulted in a normalization of both the anemia and erythrocyte deformability. It is suggested that erythrocytes with reduced deformability may be sequestered by endothelial slits of the spleen, which may play a causative role in the anemia in rats with AA.