Investigation of hemorheological parameters at the diagnosis and the follow-up of nutritional vitamin B12 deficient children

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Tancer-Elci, Hazal^{a; *} | Isik-Balci, Yasemin^{b; *} | Bor-Kucukatay, Melek^c | Kilic-Toprak, Emine^c | Kilic-Erkek, Ozgen^c | Senol, Hande^d | Aybek, Hülya^e

Affiliations: [a] Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Pamukkale University, Kinikli, Denizli, Turkey | [b] Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Hematology, Pamukkale University, Kinikli, Denizli, Turkey | [c] Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Pamukkale University, Kinikli, Denizli, Turkey | [d] Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biostatistics, Pamukkale University, Kinikli, Denizli, Turkey | [e] Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Pamukkale University, Kinikli, Denizli, Turkey

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Hazal Tancer-Elci, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Pamukkale University, Kinikli, Denizli, Turkey. E-mail: [email protected]; Yasemin Isik-Balci, Pamukkale University, Faculty of Medicine,Department of Pediatric Hematology, Kinikli, 20100 Denizli/Turkey. Tel.: +90 258 444 07 28; Fax: +90 258 241 00 40; [email protected]

Abstract: We aimed to investigate the effects of vitamin B12 deficiency on hemorheological parameters, and the changes in these parameters following vitamin B12 treatment. 33 patients (mean-age:7 ± 5.7 years) diagnosed as nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency, and 31 age and sex matched controls (mean-age:7.1 ± 5.2 years) were enrolled. Erythrocyte deformability and aggregation were determined by an ectacytometer, plasma and whole blood viscosities by a cone-plate rotational viscometer. The differences between patients and controls were compared. Hemorheological parameters were repeated in the patient group following vitamin B12 treatment, and the results were compared with the initial results. In vitamin B12 deficiency, erythrocyte deformability and whole blood viscosity were found to be significantly decreased, eythrocyte aggregation was found to be significantly increased compared with the controls. Plasma viscosity was found to be decreased in deficiency but this decrease was not statistically significant. In patient group, erythrocyte deformability, whole blood and plasma viscosities were found to be significantly increased and erythrocyte aggregation was significantly decreased, after treatment. This study indicates that vitamin B12 deficiency has important effects on hemorheological parameters and adequate treatment of deficiency not only corrects the hematological parameters, but also by helping to normalize the hemorheological parameters, may contribute to the regulation of microvascular perfusion.

Keywords: Vitamin B12 deficiency, erythrocyte deformability, erythrocyte aggregation, viscosity

DOI: 10.3233/CH-131740

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 60, no. 3, pp. 273-282, 2015