Damage to the structure of erythrocyte plasma membranes in patients with type-2 hypercholesterolemia.

Background: Hypercholesterolemia may decrease the deformability of red blood cells which impairs their hemorheological behavior and promotes atherosclerosis. The study involved 60 hypercholesterolemic patients and 30 healthy individuals as the control group.

Methods: The membrane fluidity of erythrocytes was estimated by a spin-label method (5-doxylstearic acid (5-DSA)).