BACKGROUND Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a multicausal disease which recurs. Hematocrit is associated with a thrombotic risk. We aimed to investigate if hematocrit is associated with the recurrence risk. METHODS Patients with a first VTE were followed after anticoagulation. Patients with VTE provoked by a transient risk factor, natural inhibitor deficiency, lupus anticoagulant, homozygous o...

Background: Preoperative hematocrit estimation has been one of the basic routine requirements before an anaesthetic is administered. Non availability of hematocrit result or a value less than 30% often led to cancellation of an elective surgery by the anaesthetist. Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of anemia among adult patients presenting for day case surgery in t...

BACKGROUND The patient characteristics and mortality associated with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (PKD) have not been characterized for a national sample of end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on the renal transplant waiting list. METHODS 40,493 patients in the United States Renal Data System who were initiated on ESRD therapy between 1 April 1995 and 29 June 1999 and late...

An interesting problem in hemorheology is to calculate that volume fraction of erythrocytes (hematocrit) that is optimal for transporting a maximum amount of oxygen. If the hematocrit is too low, too few erythrocytes are present to transport oxygen. If it is too high, the blood is very viscous and cannot flow quickly, so that oxygen supply to the tissues is again reduced. These considerations a...

Pulmonary capillary perfusion within a single alveolar wall continually switches among segments, even when large-vessel hemodynamics are constant. The mechanism is unknown. We hypothesize that the continually varying size of plasma gaps between individual red blood cells affects the likelihood of capillary segment closure and the probability of cells changing directions at the next capillary ju...

Adaptation takes place not only when going to high altitude, as generally accepted, but also when going down to sea level. Immediately upon ascent to high altitude, the carotid body senses the lowering of the arterial oxygen partial pressure due to a diminished barometric pressure. High altitude adaptation is defined as having three stages: 1) acute, first 72 hours, where acute mountain sicknes...