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Red blood cell deformability in human and experimental sepsis
T C Hurd1, K S Dasmahapatra, B F Rush
1Surgical Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, East Orange, NJ.
Archives of Surgery (Chicago, Ill. : 1960)
|February 1, 1988
Summary
Red blood cell deformability significantly decreases in human and murine sepsis. This impaired RBC flexibility may contribute to oxygen utilization issues and organ dysfunction in sepsis patients.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Critical Care Medicine
- Pathophysiology
Background:
- Red blood cell (RBC) deformability is crucial for microcirculation.
- Sepsis is a life-threatening condition characterized by systemic inflammation.
- Disordered oxygen utilization is a hallmark of sepsis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of sepsis on RBC deformability in humans and a murine model.
- To assess if reduced RBC deformability is a consistent finding across different sepsis models.
- To explore the potential role of RBC deformability in sepsis-induced organ dysfunction.
Main Methods:
- A deformability index was measured in human patients with and without sepsis, as well as in healthy volunteers.
- RBC deformability was assessed in a murine model of sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP).
- RBC deformability was also evaluated in endotoxemic rats.
Main Results:
- Human sepsis patients exhibited significantly decreased RBC deformability compared to non-septic patients and controls.
- Murine models of sepsis (CLP and endotoxemia) demonstrated markedly reduced RBC deformability compared to respective controls.
- The deformability index was consistently lower in septic conditions across both human and animal studies.
Conclusions:
- RBC deformability is significantly impaired in both human and murine sepsis.
- Decreased RBC deformability may be a key factor contributing to impaired oxygen utilization in sepsis.
- Restoring RBC deformability holds potential for improving tissue oxygenation and organ function in sepsis.