Influence of Spleen Size and Portal Pressure on Erythrocyte Sequestration*

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Abstract
The rate of trapping of autologous Cr51 labeled red cells, previously subjected to standardized thermal damage, was assessed by analysis of curves derived from blood sampling and also from curves obtained during continuous recording of radioactivity with a probe in position over the spleen for 1 hr. following injection of the cells. In 13 patients with splenomegaly due to hepatic cirrhosis the rate of removal from blood was faster than in a group of 13 control subjects. The rate correlated much better with spleen size as estimated by area of spleen scan, than with portal pressure determined by spleen pulp manometry. In a small group with splenomegaly secondary to a variety of causes other than cirrhosis a similar correlation between sequestration rate and spleen size was observed. A nearly identical mean osmotic fragility of heated cells among the 3 groups tended to minimize the importance of a corpuscular variable. These findings support the concept that increased spleen size in itself, and irrespective of etiology, can result in hyperfunction.

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