Pacemaker Impulses Decrease The Red Blood Cell Deformability

The aim of this study is to examine the in vitro effects of pacemaker electrical impulses on red blood cell deformability. The study was performed on 14 venous blood samples. The red cell suspension prepared from blood sample of each volunteer was divided into two parts; first was used to measure control erythrocyte deformability and the second for measuring erythrocyte deformability after pacemaker impulses were applied. In addition, Hct, Hb, MCV, MCH, and MCHC values from the two groups were determined.
As a result, it was observed that pacemaker impulses significantly decrease the red cell deformability. Hct, Hb, MCV, MCH, and MCHC values in the filtered red cell suspensions, however, did not change after the exposure.
Our data suggested that the pacemaker electrical impulses alter the erythrocyte deformability resulting in microcirculation disorders, which in turn may produce pathological changes.