Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation, Vol 13, Issue 12 3132-3137, Copyright © 1998 by Oxford University Press
C Hasler, G Owen, W Brunner and W Reinhart
Background. Haemodialysis, widely used to treat
patients with renal failure, is not always well tolerated. Different
mechanisms have been postulated for this. We analyzed the influence of
haemodialysis on erythrocyte morphology and blood rheology.
Methods. Twenty-two haemodialysed patients were
studied immediately before haemodialysis, after 30 min, and at the end of
haemodialysis with biocompatible membranes. Haematological routine was
measured, the erythrocyte morphology was assessed on glutaraldehyde-fixed
cells and blood viscosity was determined. Results.
Erythrocytes underwent various degrees of echinocytic shape
transformation after 30 min of haemodialysis, which was completely
reversible at the end. In a repetition of the investigations during a
subsequent haemodialysis other patients were affected. A plasmatic factor
caused echinocytosis since the incubation of control erythrocytes in
patients plasma induced a similar, even more marked shape transformation
and, vice versa, patient echinocytes regained a disocytic shape when
incubated in buffer. The degree of echinocytosis was related to an
increased blood viscosity at high shear rates
(r=0.800, P<0.01).
Echinocytosis was not accompanied by obvious clinical reactions.
Conclusions. Reversible echinocytosis and an increase
in blood viscosity is often seen during haemodialysis, which may affect the
circulation in patients at risk. Keywords: echinocyte;
erythrocyte; haemodialysis; viscosity
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Echinocytosis induced by haemodialysis
Internal Medicine, Kantonsspital, CH-7000 Chur, Switzerland; AO/ASIF Research Institute, Davos, Switzerland; Corresponding author
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