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Age and blood cell rheology
G Ciuffetti1, M Mercuri, M T Rizzo
12nd Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Perugia, Italy.
Gerontology
|January 1, 1989
Summary
Aging impairs mononuclear leucocyte filterability, a key factor in blood flow. This finding may explain the increased vascular disease incidence with age.
Area of Science:
- Rheology
- Hematology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Vascular disease incidence rises with age.
- Rheological alterations in capillary blood flow are implicated in age-related vascular disease.
- Understanding age-related changes in blood rheology is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of aging on blood cell deformability.
- To identify rheological variables contributing to age-related changes in capillary blood flow.
- To assess age-related changes in the filterability of specific blood cell subpopulations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized novel techniques for separating and micropore filtering haemocellular subpopulations.
- Analyzed 110 subjects across a wide age range (21-84 years).
- Assessed the filterability of mononuclear leucocytes, polymorphonuclear leucocytes, and erythrocytes.
Main Results:
- Mononuclear leucocyte filterability significantly decreased with advancing age (r = 0.25; p < 0.001).
- No significant age-related changes were observed in the filterability of polymorphonuclear leucocytes.
- Erythrocyte filterability remained unaffected by age in this study.
Conclusions:
- Aging negatively impacts mononuclear leucocyte deformability, affecting blood rheology.
- The decline in mononuclear leucocyte filterability may be a contributing factor to increased vascular disease risk in older adults.
- Polymorphonuclear leucocytes and erythrocytes do not exhibit significant age-dependent changes in filterability.