Red cell filterability and metabolic state in diabetic subjects with macro-angiopathy.

In twenty control subjects, twenty diabetic patients without macro-angiopathy and forty diabetic patients with an acute and severe arteriopathy of lower limbs, we studied the red cell filterability (TFE) on total blood, the 2-3 diphosphoglycerate level (2-3 DPG) and the Adenosine Triphosphate level (ATP). The diabetic's impairement of the red cell filterability and ATP level are all the more important than the subject is suffering from an acute arteriopathy of lower limbs. For the same subjects, we notice that the 2-3 DPG level increases significantly. The filterability is related to the ATP red cell concentration. An ATP depletion produces an increase membrane rigidity and a minor filterability. These findings strongly suggest a relation that can exist between the red cell metabolic state and filterability in diabetic population with or without macroangiopathy.