This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Panpit P. Klug, MD; Lawrence S. Lessin, MD; Peter Radice, BS

Arch Intern Med. 1974;133(4):577-590.

Abstract
Rheological determinants of pathophysiology of sickle cell disease are analyzed. Basic concepts of blood viscosity and its relationship to cell-cell, cell-protein, and cell-vessel interaction are presented. Viscosity alterations in sickle cell disease are attributed primarily to increased internal viscosity and membrane rigidity of the deoxygenated sickle cell and oxygenated irreversibly sickled cell which interact with capillaries of critical diameter to initiate microvascular occlusion. A critical pO₂ of 70 mm of mercury for initial reduction of sickle cell deformability was found. Alterations of microvascular blood flow in sickle cell disease are graphically shown by dynamic microcinematography which demonstrates the abnormal rheology of the sickle cell in a model capillary bed. Entrapment of rigid sickle cells at capillary junctions, reversible sickle cell capillary blockade and microvascular occlusion, and rheologic concomitants are demonstrated.

Author Affiliations
Washington, DC

From the Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC.

Footnotes
Received for publication Oct 31,1973; accepted Nov 28.

Reprint requests to Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, George Washington University Medical Center, 2150 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20037 (Dr. Klug).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Effects of Sickle Cell Anemia on Conjunctival Oxygen Tension and Temperature
Isenberg et al.
Arch Intern Med 1987;147:67-69.
ABSTRACT  

Clearance From the Anterior Chamber of RBCs From Human Diabetics
Williams et al.
Arch Ophthalmol 1984;102:930-931.
ABSTRACT  

Neurological Complications of Hemoglobin SC Disease
Fabian and Peters
Arch Neurol 1984;41:289-292.
ABSTRACT  

Experience with Isoxsuprine in the Treatment of Sickle Cell Crisis: A Proposed Mechanism of Action
Psomadakis et al.
ANGIOLOGY 1981;32:249-256.
ABSTRACT  

Action of Cinnarizine on the Hyperviscosity of Blood in Patients with Peripheral Obliterative Arterial Disease
Di Perri et al.
ANGIOLOGY 1979;30:13-20.
ABSTRACT