Increased membrane fluidity of erythrocytes in a case with malignant hyperthermia.

In a case with malignant hyperthermia (MH), membrane fluidity of erythrocytes was studied by electron spin resonance (ESR)-spin labeling technique. The measurement was made with samples obtained during and after pyrexic crisis until full recovery. The results indicated that membrane fluidity increased during pyrexic crisis and that these changes were serially restored. As the physicochemical characteristics of the erythrocyte membrane resemble those of cellular and cell organella membrane, it was concluded that membrane composition and configuration might have been altered pathophysiologically during the crisis of MH in our case.