[Maintenance of gaseous homeostasis in chronic coronary insufficiency]

Mechanical resistance of erythrocytes was studied in patients with chronic coronary insufficiency and normal subjects using an original method (the blood sample was subjected to vibration effects after which the percentage of destroyed cells was determined). Erythrocyte resistance was assessed at 40 dB vibration and the frequencies of 125, 250 and 500 Hz. A vibration of 40 dB at 250 Hz destroyed 33.0 +/- 0.9% of erythrocytes in normal subjects, and 17.0 +/- 1.2% in the patients (p less than 0.001), an evidence of considerable rejuvenation of the erythrocyte population that helps to maintain normal myocardial oxygen consumption even in conditions of a 12% reduction of coronary flow owing to a smaller shunted oxygen inflow.