Red blood cell rheology in patients with chronic venous disease (CVD)

Rheological studies concerning aggregation and elongation of erythrocytes were carried out in 21 patients (mean age 56 years) with chronic venous disease (CVD) and 10 (mean age 45 years) healthy control subjects, with the use of a LORCA device. Higher values of parameters characterizing both erythrocyte elongation (EI) and aggregation (γ_thr) in non-control patients than in the control group were found. These values differed significantly ranging from 1.13 to 8.23 Pa for the shear stress and γ_thr in patients – 432.14, in relation to the control group – 166.5. It was proposed, that the increase in deformability may constitute a compensatory mechanism in subjects with chronic venous disease, due to increased resistance in their microcirculation.