The red-cell deformability index: a filtration study in adult Nigerians

Red-cell deformability was measured by reproducible filtration technique. Undiluted whole blood, anticoagulated with solid potassium EDTA, was passed through Nuclepore membrane filters with cylindrical prres of 5.0 micrometers diameter, under a constant negative perfusion pressure of 20 cm of water. The volume of red-cell filtered per minute was used as an index of red-cell deformability. Healthy Nigerian adults had a mean red-cell deformability index of 0.55 +/- 0.15 ml/min/-1. There was no significant difference between the sexes. The possible relevance of red-cell deformability studies in the African is discussed.