The mechanism of erythrocyte sedimentation in Westergren’s examination

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Mayer, J.^a | Pospíšil, Z.^a | Litzman, J.^b

Affiliations: [a] II^nd Department of Medicine, Faculty Hospital, Jihlavská 100, Brno, Czechoslovakia | [b] Inst. Clin. Immunology, Faculty Hospital, Pekařská 53, Brno, Czechoslovakia

Note: [] Accepted by: Editor P. Riha

Abstract: The authors deduced the equation that describes the sedimentation of erythrocytes as the function of time, hematocrit, hemoglobin and some plasma protein concentrations and the citrate viscosity and density. This values served to describe plasma and erythrocyte density, plasma viscosity, erythrocyte aggregation and the influence of suspension concentration on the erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The influence of citrate on blood dilution (the reduction of hematocrit and plasma protein concentrations) was also considered. A good agreement between the observed and predicted values was obtained.

Keywords: Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, Erythrocyte aggregation, Viscosity, Density, Rheology

DOI: 10.3233/BIR-1992-292-306

Journal: Biorheology, vol. 29, no. 2-3, pp. 261-271, 1992