Correlated expression of adhesive properties for both white and red blood cells during inflammation

The state of leukocyte and erythrocyte adhesiveness/aggregation was determi ned in the peripheral blood of 382 patients with infection/inflammation as well as in 72 controls by using a simple slide test and image analysis. A h ighly significant correlation (r=0.4, n=455, p <0.001) was found between th e state of leukocyte and erythrocyte adhesiveness/aggregation. The extent o f both leukocyte and erythrocyte aggregation correlated with the concentrat ion of fibrinogen. Significant aggregation of leukocytes with erythrocytes was noted as well. We conclude that both leukocyte and erythrocyte aggregat ion occur in the peripheral blood of patients with infection/inflammation. Such cell aggregation, which might have detrimental rheological consequence s, can be detected by using our novel technique.