Affiliations: [a] Department of Haematology, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TJ, UK | [b] Department of Medicine, University of Southern California, School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA
Correspondence:
[*]
Correspondence to: Professor J. Stuart, Birmingham.
Note: [] Accepted by: Editor H. Meiselman
Abstract: The impaired deformability of sickle cells is a consequence of increased cytoplasmic viscosity secondary to cell dehydration and polymerization of haemoglobin S. Cetiedil citrate and oxpentifylline are potential anti-sickling agents that preserve intracellular cations and improve the deformability of sickle cells when they are dehydrated by ionophore-induced loss of intracellular K+ and water. When sickle cells from 19 patients were dehydrated by hyperosmolar stress, without inducing loss of cell cations, neither drug prevented the consequential reduction in cell filterability through 5 µm diameter pores. These drugs will not, therefore, prevent loss of water from erythrocytes in a hypertonic environment such as the renal medulla or ischaemic tissue. Preservation of erythrocyte K+ content would, however, maintain a higher reserve of cell cations and water to withstand hyperosmolar stress.
