Erythrocyte osmotic fragility in various liver diseases--application of coil planet centrifuge system.

A change in erythrocyte osmotic fragility was observed on various liver diseases by means of the coil planet centrifuge (CPC) system, and the relationship between changes in it and in serum lipids was studied. According to the CPC classification of hemolytic patterns of L, M, T and R, the frequency of appearance of T and R increased in liver cirrhosis and primary hepatoma. Hemolytic start and end points both changed considerably in primary hepatoma, acute hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. Change of hemolytic end point which shifted to the hypotonic side is more prominent than that of hemolytic start point. The hemolytic end point showed an inverse correlation to serum alkaline phosphatase and LAP, and correlation to pseudocholinesterase and albumin. Among the relations of red cell fragility and lipids of the lipoprotein fractions, free cholesterol and the ratio of free cholesterol to phospholipid in high density lipoprotein were both in remarkable inverse correlation to the hemolytic end point. Free cholesterol in high density lipoprotein was concluded one of the most important determinants of erythrocyte osmotic fragility.