Patent ID: 6204066
Filing Date: 2001-03-20
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for determining the magnitude of intercellular erythrocyte repulsion in a sample of anticoagulated whole blood, said method comprising:a) the step of placing the anticoagulated sample of whole blood in a transparent capillary tube;b) the step of centrifuging said blood sample in said capillary tube for a period of time;c) the step of recording positions of an erythrocyte/plasma interface in said capillary tube at known time intervals during said centrifuging step so as to establish a time-related red cell layer compaction curve for the erythrocytes in said blood sample, said compaction curve having an initial approximately linear portion and a subsequent non-linear portion;d) the step of determining a point in time in said compaction curve wherein the position of said compacting erythrocyte/plasma interface changes from said approximately linear portion to said non-linear portion; ande) the step of calculating a mathematical function for a plurality of the erythrocyte/plasma interface positions occurring in said non-linear portion of said curve, said function being operative to determine the magnitude of intercellular erythrocyte repulsion in said blood sample.