Ektacytometric assessment of red cell shear induced elongation in some hemolytic disorders

The red cell shear induced elongation in some hemolytic diseases was determined using the diffractometric method (ektacytometry). Significantly decreased cellular elongation was found in hereditary spherocytosis, autoimmune idiopathic hemolytic anemia and some hemoglobinopathies. On the other hand in other hemolytic disorders including paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase deficiencies, non-spherocytic hemolytic anemia and even autoimmune hemolytic anemia in remission we failed to observe the altered elongation in shear compared to normal donors. These results confirm our previous findings obtained by the simple filtration method and they show that there is good negative correlation between elongation index and red blood cell.s retention on filter.