[Diabetes and heterozygotic sickle-cell anemia: study of erythrocyte deformability]

The erythrocyte filterability of 25 diabetics, 6 patients with sickle cell trait ( HbAS ) and diabetes mellitus, and 25 controls was studied. Erythrocyte filterability was estimated by a filtration technique with washed erythrocytes. Red cell filterability was significantly decreased in diabetic patients compared to control subjects and this abnormality was correlated with the extent and severity of vascular complications. The values of erythrocyte filterability in diabetics + HbAs and diabetic patients were in the same range. These results suggest that HbAS does not influence the abnormalities of erythrocyte filterability observed in diabetes mellitus.