AIMS: To investigate the possibility of a correlation between the percentage of nondiscocytic erythrocytes and muscle fatiguability in subjects with the symptom of chronic tiredness. METHODS: Sixty nine volunteers suffering from persisting or intermittent tiredness and 72 healthy controls provided 3-drop samples of venous blood for red cell shape analysis before and after inducing fatigue in the trigger finger muscles by repeatedly pulling the trigger of an antique revolver. Elapsed time and the number of pulls were recorded. A work index was calculated from the number of trigger pulls divided by the time in seconds then multiplied by the number of trigger pulls. RESULTS: Subjects with tiredness had fewer discoid cells (males 62.5% vs 69.2%, p = 0.029; females 65.8% vs 71.8%, p = 0.002) than controls. They also had fewer trigger pulls (males 62.3 vs 84.0, p = 0.003; females 29.5 vs 36.8, p = 0.042) and lower "work indices" (males 75.6 vs 104.7, p = 0.001; females 26.1 vs 39.6, p = 0.001) than controls at the first trigger pulling. After 5 minutes rest the number of trigger pulls for males was fewer than the controls (56.0 vs 64.2) but the difference was not significant, but the female values (24.3 vs 33.2) were significantly different (p = 0.008). Work indices for both sexes were significantly different from controls (males p = 0.020, females p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The association of increased nondiscocytes and impaired muscle function could indicate a cause and effect relationship. This would be in agreement with the physiological concept of fatigue as a consequence of inadequate oxygen delivery.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

The effects of saline solutions on red cell shape: a scanning-electron- microscope-based study.

Red cells appear to change shape in response to alterations in their environment both in vitro and in vivo. To investigate the qualitative aspects of this phenomenon, five drops of a venous blood sample were fixed in buffered glutaraldehyde for baseline observations and 0.5 ml of blood added to 4 ml of four different saline solutions. Triplicated 10-drop samples from the suspensions were fixed in the glutaraldehyde solution after 2.5, 5, 10, 20 and 40 min and prepared for scanning electron microscopy. Red cell shape analysis of the resulting micrographs showed that the cells had changed shape, although no two patterns of change were the same.

Cell Size↗

PubMed1993

Perfusion pressure, proteinuria and the isolated rat kidney--comment.

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Animals↗

PubMed1993

Dichotomous response of whole blood viscosity in streptozotocin-diabetic rats.

Abnormalities of blood rheology may play an important role in the underlying mechanism of the development of diabetic complications. Although streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats have been used extensively in the investigation of diabetic complications, blood rheological alterations in this model have not previously been assessed. To assess one aspect of blood rheology, we repeated whole blood viscosity (WBV) measurements at 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks after the STZ injection in rats. Nine of fifteen diabetic rats showed increased WBV after the induction of diabetes. Although these rats had a higher haematocrit, the increase in WBV was maintained after correction to a standard haematocrit. Percentage changes of WBV were significantly greater in these diabetic rats than in control rats at low shear rates (0.1s-1 and 1.0s-1), but not at high shear rates. In contrast, WBV was lowered at all shear rates after the injection of STZ in the remaining six diabetic rats which had lower haematocrit, severe weight loss and high mortality; no rats survived for 16 weeks post-injection. Animals in this group may be implicated in the high mortality among STZ-diabetic rats. Although there was a clear distinction of rheological and clinical pictures between these two groups of STZ-diabetic rats, blood glucose and HbA1 concentrations did not differ significantly. This study demonstrates a dichotomy in blood viscosity response to STZ-induced diabetes.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Renal function and kidney morphology in biopsies from patients with IgA nephropathy.

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Biopsy↗