Estimation of Red Blood Cell Thiamine Concentration From Whole Blood and Serum Thiamine by Adjustment for Hematocrit

Abstract

Comparison was made between the thiamine concentration directly measured in packed red blood cells by a thiochrome method and the estimated concentration from separately measured whole blood and serum samples and hematocrits in 24 patients. There was no significant difference between the measured and estimated values. When estimates of red cell thiamine concentration were made from whole blood only and hematocrit, there was a significant difference between the estimated and measured values when hematocrits were less than 40. Measurement of whole blood and serum thiamine concentration and the hematocrit permits an accurate estimate of the red cell concentration. Blood thiamine values expressed as concentration in whole blood, serum, and red cells have been useful in studies of the nutritional status of chronically ill persons.