Abstract
Abstract The relative viscosity of whole blood at hematocrits above 30 per cent depends primarily on the intracellular viscosity of the individual red blood cells. In this study, an exponential relationship was found between relative viscosity of whole blood and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. At MCHC of more than 34 per cent (either naturally occurring or induced by means of hyperosmolarity) there was a steep increase in the relative viscosity, indicating that the tighter packing of hemoglobin molecules in the red cells resulted in an increased intracellular viscosity. Since MCHC higher than 34 to 35 per cent is almost exclusively found in patients with hereditary spherocytosis, it is suggested that in this disorder the increased rigidity, in addition to the spheric shape, of the red cells may be of importance for their capillary transit and splenic sequestration. It is further suggested that plasma-skimming in the kidneys may be necessary in order to reduce hematocrit and viscosity in the hyperosmolar medullary vessels.
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