Aggregation in Children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Purpose: The aim of our research was to study the level of erythrocyte aggregation in blood of children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).Materials and methods: The study included 37 patients of both sexes ages 6 to 17 with IBD (17 with CD and 20 with UC). Blood was drawn after the hospitalization of patients and at the end of the treatment before their discharge. Erythrocyte aggregation was studied using a rheoscope constructed using the method of H. Schmid-Schönbein et al. at modification of G.Y. Levin et al. The process of aggregation was recorded during hydrodynamic mixing and upon its stop. The process of erythrocyte disaggregation was recorded when creating sheer stress set at the exact rate. The morphology of aggregates in autologous plasma was studied using a light microscope. The state of erythrocyte cytoskeleton was studied by the method of thermo induction. The state of erythrocyte membranes was determined by photometry on the laser aggregometer.Results: It was established that a significant increase in the degree and rate of aggregation of erythrocytes is observed at IBD. In the course of treatment aggregation of erythrocytes is normalized in children with UC, but remains elevated at CD. The aggregation character changes at IBD – pathological structures of aggregates appear along with the rouleaux. A correlation between ESR, fibrinogen concentration and the degree of erythrocyte aggregation was found. It was established that hyperaggregation of erythrocytes in IBD was caused by changes not only in plasma factors, but also in the cytoskeleton and in the erythrocyte membrane.Conclusion: Thus, disorders of the rheological properties of blood are an important factor in the pathogenesis of IBD in children causing ischemic damage to the intestine. This gives grounds for recommending the use of additional methods for combating hypoxia and microcirculatory disturbances during IBD.