ELECTROLYTIC RESISTANCE OF THE BLOOD CLOT: RESISTANCE CLOTTING TIME, ONSET OF CLOT RETRACTION AND THE CLOT RESISTANCE

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The electrolytic resistance curve of the blood clot is the curve of re-sistance in ohms over a 48-hr. period that develops between platinum electrodes buried within the substance of the clotting and clotted whole blood. The clot resistance is the max. resistance less the resistance of the fluid unclotted whole blood. The normal clot resistance is 311[plus or minus] (S.D.) 44.4 ohms in the human male and 179 [plus or minus] 33.5 ohms in the female.The percentage clot volume is 45.9% (whole blood). No change in clot resistance was found in 3 women tested over a full menstrual cycle. The clot resistance and the platelet count show a coeff. of correlation of 0.58 when the clot resistance is normal or below. In polycythemia vera, exceptionally high clot resistances (800-900 ohms) are found and extremely small percentage clot volumes (23.7%). In thrombo-cytopenic purpura the reverse is true; the clot resistance is very low and the clot volume high. Hence, the clot resistance appears to be related to clot retraction. Preliminary tests suggest that this may be used to measure the onset of clot retraction. The resistance clotting time is the time of onset of the resistance curve. This can be measured objectively and with accuracy. It occurs at the very initial precipitation of fibrin upon the electrodes. In the normal the time is 9.9 min.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: