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British Journal of Anaesthesia, 2001, Vol. 87, No. 2 246-249
© 2001 The Board of Management and Trustees of the British Journal of Anaesthesia

Clinical Investigations

Isolated reduction of haematocrit does not compromise in vitro blood coagulation

B. M. Iselin1, P. F. X. Willimann1, B. Seifert2, M. Casutt1, T. Bombeli3, M. P. Zalunardo1, T. Pasch1 and D. R. Spahn1

1Institute of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. 2Department of Biostatistics, University of Zurich, Switzerland. 3Division of Haematology, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland.*Corresponding author: Institute of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital, Raemistrasse 100, CH-8091 Zürich, Switzerland

Low haematocrit values are generally well tolerated in terms of oxygen transport but a low haematocrit might interfere with blood coagulation. We thus sampled 60 ml of blood in 30 healthy volunteers. The blood was centrifuged for 30 min at 2000 g and separated into plasma, which contained the platelet fraction, and packed red blood cells. The blood was subsequently reconstituted by combining the entire plasma fraction with a mixture of packed red blood cells, 0.9% saline, so that the final haematocrit was either 40, 30, 20, or 10%. Blood coagulation was assessed by computerized Thrombelastograph® analysis. Data were compared using repeated measures analysis of variance and post-hoc paired t-tests with Bonferroni correction. Decreasing the haematocrit from 40 to 10% resulted in a shortening of reaction time (r) and coagulation time (k), and an increase in angle {alpha}, maximum amplitude (MA) and clot strength (G) (all P<0.02). This pattern represents acceleration of blood coagulation with low haematocrit values. The isolated reduction in haematocrit, therefore, does not compromise in vitro blood coagulation.

Br J Anaesth 2001; 87: 246–9


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