Studies in rheology of human diabetes mellitus

Abstract

The rheology of blood cells studied intravascularly, and the relation between blood cells and endothelium was analyzed in vivo by high resolution, vital microscopy in four diabetic patients with varying duration of the disease. In a dipedicled, tubed skin-flap a titanium chamber with optics was implanted. A thin layer of tissue in this chamber was observed microscopically over a period of up to 4 months. Microvascular structure and function were analyzed under normal flow conditions as well as in various test situations with reduced or completely blocked flow in lipaemia and when slight local tissue trauma was added. It was found, contrary to what has hitherto been considered in the literature, that there is no aggregation of blood cells in diabetes, unless the metabolic balance is heavily upset as in acidosis. The rheology of the various types of blood cells is normal even in long-standing diabetes. © 1971 Springer-Verlag.