Abnormal blood flow and red blood cell deformability in severe malaria.
Obstruction of the microcirculation plays a central role in the pathophysiology of severe malaria. Here, Arjen Dondorp and colleagues describe the various contributors to impaired microcirculatory flow in falciparum malaria: sequestration, rosetting and recent findings regarding impaired red blood cell deformability. The correlation with clinical findings and possible therapeutic consequences are discussed.
Dondorp
A M
AM
Department of Internal Medicine, Tropical Medicine and AIDS, Academic Medical Centre, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands. A.M.Dondorp@AMC.UVA.NL
Kager
P A
PA
Vreeken
J
J
White
N J
NJ
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002648:Child; D004907:Erythrocyte Deformability; D018056:Hemorheology; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008833:Microcirculation; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000472:pathogenicity