[Erythrocyte deformability in pregnancy-induced hypertension]

Abstract

Erythrocyte deformability and red blood cells characteristics (MCV, MCH, Hct) were studied in 18 patients with gestational hypertension (24 normotensive primigravidae and 20 non-pregnant nulliparous women). The deformability of red cells was determined by red cell filtration in a filtrometer MF4 after prefiltration through cotton wool. We found a statistically reduced deformability in patients with gestational hypertension compared with normal pregnancy and non pregnant controls. Our data suggest a strong correlation between red cell filterability and newborn weight (r = 0.59, p < 0.02). The deformability of erythrocytes in gestational hypertension mainly depends on the fluidity of the cell membrane (lipid contents). Other factors of minor importance are the hemoglobin viscosity and the cell membrane surface area/cell volume ratio. The significantly lower erythrocyte fluidity in patients with gestational hypertension may also be explained by an enlarged metabolic pool of free calcium ions in these red blood cells.