Hemorheological disorders in children with thermal trauma

Abstract

Aim. To study hemorheological changes and their correlation with the size of red blood cells (RBCs) during the treatment of thermal injury in children. Methods. The study included 32 children ages 3 to 17 with burns affecting 10% to 70% of the total body area during the treatment period between the 3^rd day after the burn and complete wound closure. Aggregation and disaggregation of red blood cells was analyzed using a H. Schmid-Schönbein и соавт. [1973] rheoscope in our modification. In addition, erythrocyte deformability, morphology of erythrocyte aggregates, and the state of erythrocyte cytoskeleton were studied using thermoinduction, and erythrocyte indices were calculated. Results. After a burn injury, erythrocyte aggregation and the strength of erythrocyte aggregates were increased whereas their deformability was decreased. Disorders of blood rheology accompanied all stages of burn disease and remained at the patient discharge. Hemorheological disorders correlated with changes in fibrinogen concentrations and with changes in the erythrocyte cytoskeleton, size, and the amount of contained hemoglobin. Conclusion. The stable and pronounced disorders of blood rheological properties in children with burn disease may be an essential cause for reduction of oxygen supply to vital organs and their failure. The measurement of erythrocyte indices may represent a simple though preliminary method for assessing hemorheology.