Liver alcoholic cirrhosis and spur-cell (acanthocytic) anaemia. A study of erythrocyte ghost composition and fluidity.
Scand J Gastroenterol
; 30(12): 1204-9, 1995 Dec.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-9053975
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The occurrence of spur-cell anaemia in the course of cirrhosis is rare. Alterations of the lipid composition and fluidity of erythrocyte (RBC) ghosts may be present and participate in the phenomenon.METHODS:
A 59-year-old male patient with alcoholic cirrhosis developed severe spur-cell haemolytic anaemia before death. We compared his RBC ghosts with those of 10 cirrhotic patients and used a group of 9 healthy subjects as controls.RESULTS:
The cholesterol to protein ratio was higher in cirrhotic patients; besides, they had less unsaturated fatty acid. The ratio of phospholipid phosphorus to protein did not change; yet, the distribution of phosphorus among phospholipid classes was altered. No difference in 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene fluorescence anisotropy (membrane fluidity) was observed between the ghosts of cirrhotic patients and those of healthy people. However, the ghosts of the patient with spur-cell anaemia were more rigid than those of either group.CONCLUSIONS:
The values of most variables of cirrhotic patients' ghosts lay between those of healthy subjects and those of the one who developed spur-cell anaemia. It is concluded that some homeostatic mechanisms must control fluidity during cirrhosis; in some cases alterations are particularly great, and fluidity cannot be maintained.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Erythrocyte Membrane
/
Acanthocytes
/
Anemia, Hemolytic
/
Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic
Type of study:
Observational_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
Scand J Gastroenterol
Year:
1995
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Italy