Erythrocyte deformability in chronic renal failure

ABSTRACT

Red blood cell [RBC] deformability [DEF] was measured in twenty patients with end stage renal failure [ESRF] before being dialyzed and in eighteen of them after a single session dialysis [nine patients received hemodialysis and the other nine patients received peritoneal dialysis]. RBCDEF was measured by means of a modified nucleopore filter method. Low RBC DEF was found in ESRF patients when compared to that of the control group. Although significant improvement of RBC DEF occurred with a single dialysis session, yet RBC DEF was significantly lower than of the control group. A statistically significant correlation was found between reduced RBC DEF and serum creatinine level in the patients with ESRF and no significant correlation was found between RBC DEF and blood urea level in uremic patients. Both modalities of dialysis can improve RBC DEF in ESRF patients