[Blood viscosity, deformability and morphological types of erythrocytes in vibration disease]

The study evaluating pathogenesis of microcirculatory disorders in subjects with vibration disease covered 63 patients. The patients demonstrated trends to low blood (and, especially, serum) viscosity, to decreased RBC deformability evaluated by filtration and viscosimetry methods, higher number of degenerative and reversibly changed RBC (echinocytes and stomatocytes). The authors discuss the role of these rheological disorders in pathogenesis of angiodystonic syndrome in vibration disease.