Strik F: Altered leukocyte rheology in patients with chronic cerebrovascular disease. Stroke 1988;19:631-633

Erythrocyte and leukocyte suspensions were prepared from 28 patients with chronic cerebrovascular disease and 30 age- and concomitant disease-matched control subjects. Cell filterability was studied with the new St. George's nitrometer, which can discriminate between initial nitration rate as an erythrocyte parameter and filter clogging as a leukocyte parameter. Compared with control subjects, a significant increase of filter clogging was found in the patients, suggesting decreased deformability or increased adhesiveness of leukocytes or both in chronic cerebrovascular disease. (Stroke 1988;19:631-633) It is generally accepted that hemorheologic alter-ations are present in about 50 % of patients withcerebrovascular disease (CVD).1"3 In addition to vascular components, increased blood viscosity plays an important role in the impairment of cerebral blood flow in these patients.4" * Several factors, such as changes of the qualitative and quantitative behavior of erythrocytes and platelets as well as changes in plasma composition,'-2 have been identified as being respon-sible for the deterioration of blood fluidity. Leukocyte